Star Wars: The Civil Wars
by Lola Jeery
Summary: One year after the Death Star's destruction, Darth Vader and the Empire are desperately hunting for the rebel pilot who fired the fatal shot. This puts future Jedi Luke Skywalker and the Rebellion in danger. Meanwhile, Jabba the Hutt has sent two bounty hunters to capture Han Solo. But when one crosses paths with Skywalker, memories will resurface and secrets will be revealed.
1. The Hunt Begins

This is my second story! My intent was to write a story about the Rebellion and the Empire similar to the _Star Wars: The Clone Wars_ feature film. For the record, I did NOT write this based off of the announcement of the new animated series, _Star Wars: Rebels_. This is entirely my own idea. There will be references to certain events from my first story, _The Clone Wars: The Final Season_, so I encourage you to read/reread that story if you'd like.

Unfortunately, there was an accident a few weeks ago and all of the data on my story was lost. So, I did what a true author would do - start again! I will keep my promise to post a new chapter every week if I can, although I will be hard-pressed for time. Enjoy this new story!

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Star Wars: The Civil Wars

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A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away…

A galaxy divided! Following the Battle of Yavin, tensions rise between the Galactic Empire and the Rebel Alliance. Inspired by the Rebellion's victory, more star systems are choosing to aid in their struggle to defeat the Empire. But the Sith Lord Darth Vader has become obsessed with finding aspiring Jedi Luke Skywalker, the young rebel pilot who destroyed the Death Star.

Meanwhile, in the Outer Rim, where the Empire has no jurisdiction, the vile crime lord, Jabba the Hutt, has placed a bounty on Han Solo, a smuggler who has allied himself with Skywalker. Intent on collecting the debt owed to him by Solo, Jabba has hired the most fearsome bounty hunters in the galaxy to track him down. Little does he know that the one who succeeds will find an even greater prize….

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**Chapter 1 – The Hunt Begins**

Jabba Desilijic Tiure had been one of the leading crime lords on Tatooine for hundreds of years. A vile and grotesque slug-like Hutt, he delighted in making money in any way that he could – and torturing anyone who stood in the way of his profits. He tended to operate through bounty hunters and middlemen so the Empire wouldn't trace his crimes back to him. Everyone in the Outer Rim knew better than to upset Jabba, or face his wrath.

Jabba resided in a palace located near the Dune Sea on Tatooine. The palace was comprised of a large, round central rotunda with a taller spire adjacent to it. Long ago, it had been a monastery for the religious order of the B'omarr Monks. However, the monastery was overrun and the monks were driven into the lowest dungeons. Jabba converted the monastery into his palace/fortress, covering the exterior with sand-colored ditanium plates and installing extra security systems and employing dozens of guards.

As he approached the palace in his ship, _Slave I_, Boba Fett eyed the palace with distaste. He regarded Jabba and his band of cronies to be disgusting gangsters, and wished to have nothing to do with them. The only reason he took jobs for the Hutt was because of the difficulty of the jobs and the high price they paid. When Jabba contacted him the other day, he told Boba that the promised bounty would be more than he had ever collected.

The gruff voice of the palace's space controller spoke on _Slave I_'s intercom system. "We 'ave you on our scopes now. Identify yerself."

Boba pressed the microphone button and replied through his Mandalorian helmet, "This is Boba Fett. I have an audience with Jabba."

"Do you 'ave a landin' permit?"

Even though the controller couldn't see it, Boba shook his head. "I've never needed one here."

There was a brief silence as the controller scanned _Slave I_. Finally, he said, "Wait a minute. I'm pickin' up 'igh explosives in yer cargo bay. What are they for?"

Boba was obviously becoming annoyed, for he responded flatly, "If you don't let me land right now, I can show you."

The controller was outraged. "Is tha' a threat? If you so much as think about 'armin' the mighty Jabba, you can spend the rest o' yer life in the dungeon if yer lucky! I ain't lettin' you anywhere near 'ere with tha' cargo."

"What if Jabba ordered the explosives? Would he be happy to hear that you turned away his valuable delivery?" Boba was sure that that would end the conversation quickly.

It did. A few seconds later, the controller said, "You 'ave permission to land."

Boba didn't say anything more, but continued to pilot _Slave I_ toward the landing pad in front of the rotunda. "I'd say that went well, wouldn't you?"

In the seat next to him, his copilot crossed her arms and said, "You know, maybe next time you should consider being a little less threatening. That guy could have easily shot us out of the sky."

"Not _this_ ship, sister. I could have the shields up and the lasers firing before he could hit us. Besides, you know how good of a pilot I am."

Ashla shrugged. "If you say so."

As fearsome and mysterious as Boba Fett was, his partner Ashla was even more so than he was. Ashla Fett was a Togruta female with red skin, yellow face markings, and white montrals with three lekku head-tails. She wore a black jumpsuit, two bandoliers over her chest, a utility belt, and dark brown boots. She was armed with a sniper rifle slung over her shoulder, two blaster pistols contained in holsters on her belt, and two daggers tucked into hidden compartments in her boots. If her arsenal wasn't intimidating enough, her agility was unmatched. She had amazingly quick reflexes, acrobatic skills, and a great deal of tactical intelligence. In her mid-thirties, no one knew anything about her past, except that she had been working with Boba Fett for the second half of her life. Even her true name was unknown. She went only by Ashla Fett to conserve her anonymity.

_Slave I_ angled downward towards the palace. There was a flat mesa in front of the rotunda reserved for short-term landing. And Boba had no intention of staying long. Once they were close enough, Boba rotated the ship onto its flat back for landing. His modifications to the ship included a gyroscopic cockpit, so that the crew of the ship would always remain upright. Boba powered everything down except for the emergency power systems, just in case they needed to make a quick getaway. Once they were sure that _Slave I_ was safe, Boba and Ashla exited the ship through the entry hatch.

Apparently, the air controller was still suspicious of the bounty hunters, for as they approached the palace's main gate, several green-skinned porcine Gamorrean guards hobbled up to them, holding their vibroaxes ready. Most beings agreed that these pig-like humanoids did not make for formidable security. Although they were big and strong, they were also fat, slow, stupid, and incredibly disgusting. The guards continued to point their axes as Boba and Ashla even as they reached the massive brown metal door. Boba knocked and a circular panel slid open, allowing a gatekeeper droid to appear. The droid was basically a fist-sized sphere attached to a long arm, and its single photoreceptor looked the visitors up and down.

Boba explained, "Jabba the Hutt has requested our presence. He is waiting for us." The droid, according to its programming, didn't think it needed to hear any more. The arm retracted back into its panel and with a long creaking sound, the heavy door slid slowly upwards. Once the door stopped rising, the bounty hunters walked in, followed closely by the Gamorrean guards. The group was then greeted by Jabba's majordomo, Bib Fortuna. Bib was a pale-skinned Twi'lek with red eyes, sharp teeth, and two lekku head-tails wrapped around his neck. He gave a command in Huttese to the guards, ordering them to stand down. And then he told the bounty hunters to follow him.

Bib led them into Jabba's main audience chamber, where dozens of aliens drank, talked, listened to the profane songs being played by the Max Rebo band, and watched the scantily-clad Twi'lek slaves dance alluringly. Sitting on a raised dais in the middle of the room was Jabba the Hutt himself. He was approximately 1.75 meters tall and almost 4 meters long, including his tail. He had olive-green skin and a tan belly, a wide mouth, and large orange eyes. His total weight was approximately 1,300 kilograms. To meet his nutritional demands, several chefs worked around the clock to feed him. An orange Kowakian Monkey-Lizard named Salacious Crumb sat at Jabba's side as a pet, although he personally enjoyed watching the Hutt deal with his enemies. Jabba often smoked his hookah pipe and ate frog-like Gorgs from a bowl.

Boba and Ashla stood in front of the dais while Bib Fortuna whispered into the Hutt's ear. Once Bib had finished speaking, Jabba addressed the bounty hunters in his low, rumbling voice. A protocol droid standing next to Jabba interpreted his Huttese into Galactic Basic. "The most gracious Jabba welcomes you to his palace. He is pleased you could come."

"We're not here for a visit," said Boba. "I was told you had a job for us."

Jabba laughed and explained the situation. The droid interpreted, "You are familiar with Han Solo, the infamous smuggler? He owes Jabba greatly for losing a spice shipment. He promised to pay up a year ago, and now Jabba has lost his patience. He wishes for you to track down Solo and bring him before the mighty Jabba."

Boba and Ashla knew all about Han Solo. Solo was a young smuggler who once worked for Jabba. However, while carrying a valuable spice shipment for the Hutt, Solo was forced to jettison the shipment to avoid being captured by an Imperial Star Destroyer. Outraged, Jabba had demanded that Solo compensate him for the lost cargo. Solo continuously promised to repay him, giving more excuses and more promises, but he never came through.

Boba asked, "What's in it for us?"

Jabba answered and the droid translated, "There is a very handsome bounty on both Solo's head and his friend Chewbacca's. If you succeed in your mission, Jabba will be more than happy to reward you for it."

The two bounty hunters looked at each other, silently asking for each other's opinion. When they both nodded, Boba turned back to Jabba and said, "You got a deal, Jabba. We'll find Solo and his friend, and bring them both to you."

Jabba chortled happily and wished them good luck. With their business completed, Boba and Ashla left the palace and returned to _Slave I_. Once they were aboard, Ashla commented, "Solo's always been slippery when it comes to debts. He won't be easy to catch."

Boba responded, "Who cares? No one can hide forever, and we've got the brains and the tools to outmatch him. We'll find him eventually. Besides, think about the money. You're always talking about settling down and enjoying life."

Ashla nodded her head. "Yes, I do want to live a quieter life. I'm tired of always running around scooping up criminals. I want to do what I've wanted to do for many years now; I want to retire."

"And you can do that. With the money we get from this job, we can get a permanent home, start a family, and have everything you want. I can help you, Ashla. All you have to do is say the word."

Ashla smiled and raised an eyebrow. "Are you proposing to me? After all these years, you suddenly pluck up the courage to ask _that_ question?"

"So you're saying you _don't_ want to get married."

"I didn't say that."

"Then you _do_ want to get married?"

Ashla laughed. "You're not making this very romantic. But, I'll give you an answer: Yes. I'll do it. But first we need to find Solo."

Boba sighed in relief. "Glad we got that out of the way. I suggest we split up. We'll cover more ground that way."

"Well, for that, I'll need my ship. Hopefully, it's fixed by now."

"All right," responded Boba, "I'll drop you off at the shipyard and then go get some supplies."

"Okay, but remember, you're paying for the repairs since the damage was your fault."

"Hey!" Boba yelled defensively. "That wasn't my fault! I didn't know the stabilizer was loose."

Ashla rolled her eyes. "Obviously, since it was in perfect shape when you flew it. It's just a coincidence that it decided to break when I flew it after you."

_Slave I_'s repulsorlift engines fired, lifting itself into the air. Then the ship rotated forward and soared away from Jabba's palace at high speed.

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Deep in space, several wedge-shaped Imperial Star Destroyers hovered while hundreds of TIE fighters and shuttles flew around them. Each battleship was 1,600 meters long and boasted elite shielding and engine systems, along with over 120 weapons. Each ship was designed to inspire fear in all who opposed it. But as terrifying as the Star Destroyers were, they were nothing compared to the flagship of the Imperial fleet.

The _Executor_ was a Super Star Destroyer, about twelve times the length of a regular Star Destroyer and with a sharper wedge angle. The _Executor_ had more engines with higher power, boasted 5,000 turbolasers and ion cannons, and could complement thousands of fighters, shuttles, and tanks and millions of Stormtroopers. Coupled with the ship's state-of-the-art shields and titanium-alusteel hull, the _Executor_ was virtually unstoppable. And the ship's commander alone could make anyone cringe with fear.

Darth Vader, Dark Lord of the Sith, had served the Emperor since his rise to power. Vader had participated in the brutal murders of hundreds of Jedi Knights, the former guardians of peace and justice in the old Republic. Vader wore a black leather suit with shining armor and a cape to match. On his chest was a control panel that allowed him to operate his suit as needed. His most terrifying feature was his black mask and helmet. His mask was shaped in the likeness of a skull, and his helmet completely covered his head. Various rumors had been created to explain the helmet, but no one wanted to know if they were true for fear of facing Vader's wrath. The Sith Lord was renowned within the Empire for using the mysterious Force to strangle people who displeased him. The only two people in the Imperial hierarchy who could command Vader were the Emperor himself and the late Grand Moff Wilhuff Tarkin.

Vader maintained his personal quarters aboard the _Executor_, although his personal belongings were sparse. His room was dominated by a spherical meditation chamber that was completely pressurized when closed, allowing Vader to survive without his helmet. There was a communication system in the chamber that allowed Vader to speak directly to the ship's bridge, although he still preferred the officers to report to him in person.

Admiral Kendal Ozzel hurried down the hallway towards Vader's quarters. He knew that it was unwise to keep Vader waiting, and even more so to deliver an empty report. He desperately hoped Vader would accept the progress he had made, but on the other hand, they still had no idea where the rebels were. Ozzel stopped in front of the doors to Vader's quarters and inhaled deeply, attempting to compose himself for his meeting with the dark lord. He hoped that if he remained calm and confident, perhaps Vader would accept his report.

The doors slid open and Ozzel strode into the room. The black meditation sphere was closed, but Ozzel had a strong suspicion that Vader was inside. His suspicions were confirmed when the top half of the sphere was lifted from the bottom half. They weren't perfect halves, however; trapezoidal sections protruded from the bottom of the top half, giving the chamber the appearance of the head of a monster, with Vader sitting in a chair inside its mouth. Vader's mechanical breathing was interrupted by his deep voice. "Admiral, have you made any progress?"

Ozzel stood at attention and reported, "Lord Vader, one of our Star Destroyers has intercepted a Corellian counselor frigate with two starfighter escorts. We strongly believe that they are allied with the Rebel Alliance."

If Vader was the least bit surprised, he didn't show it. "Where were they headed?"

Ozzel hesitated for a split second to choose his words carefully. "Actually, the ships were destroyed, and the passengers we captured refused to talk. So they were executed."

Vader stood and strode menacingly toward the admiral. "Who gave the order to destroy the ships and the prisoners?"

Ozzel stammered, "Uh, it was me, my lord."

Vader stopped less than a meter in front of Ozzel. "You should have known, Admiral, that the rebels will not easily succumb to interrogation. You should have ordered your men to follow the ships. They could have led us to some of the rebel leaders, or even one of the rebel bases. Now, we are no further than we were before, because of your failure."

Ozzel instinctively stepped backwards and his eyes widened in fear. "I – I assure you, my lord, that it will not happen again. I will personally see to it that next time-"

"Next time?" repeated Vader, "Should I allow there to be a next time? Can you rectify your mistake?" Vader raised his hand and held his thumb and index finger three centimeters apart.

Immediately, Ozzel grasped his throat and began to choke. He rasped, "I will… not… disappoint you again… my lord."

After a second's consideration, Vader lowered his hand, releasing his victim. "I hope so, Admiral, for your sake." Ozzel bowed and hurriedly left the room. As he did so, Vader said, mostly to himself, "The rebels are becoming stronger. I can feel their resolve growing. The destruction of the Death Star was a declaration of open war. And the pilot who fired that fatal shot, he was strong with the Force. If a Jedi has joined the Rebellion, he could be a threat to us. He must be hunted down and destroyed at all costs."

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If you have any comments or questions, please leave them in your reviews and/or private messages!


	2. The Empire's Most Wanted

**Chapter 2 – The Empire's Most Wanted**

The Hoth System was located in the Outer Rim, far from the reach of the Empire. Its third planet was the only one that could sustain life. Ironically, it was also the most inhospitable planet in its system. Also referred to as Hoth, the planet's crust was composed completely of ice, and the frigid atmosphere was almost constantly obscured by blizzards. Some life-forms had managed to acclimate to this bizarre climate, such as the monstrous wampas and the smelly tauntauns, but no intelligent life had ever settled there.

Not until now. The planet's inhospitality made it the perfect hiding place for the Alliance to Restore the Republic. Following the destruction of their base on the fourth moon of Yavin, the rebels established a new base on Hoth. Codenamed Echo Base, the complex was a series of tunnels and caverns dug into an ice ridge. The only features that could be seen from the outside were two hanger doors on either side of the base and a large shield generator shaped like four disks standing on their sides. On the inside, Echo Base was fully equipped with hangers, medical bays, command centers, and internal heating that made the temperature at least bearable.

As Luke Skywalker walked through the narrow hallways carved in the ice, he surveyed the many different types of beings he passed. Not only were they of so many different species, but they were of different ages, genders, and backgrounds. The only thing they had in common was their resolve to fight for the dissolution of the Empire. That had been the Alliance's goal for twenty years, ever since the Republic was overthrown and the Empire declared. The rebels fought for the freedoms that had been taken from them and their people. The Rebel Alliance had been steadily growing over the more recent years, and was quickly becoming a serious threat to the Empire.

Luke had joined the Rebellion because of the atrocities of the Empire. Just a year ago, he had been a farm boy on Tatooine. Everything changed when he became entangled in Princess Leia's mission to deliver the stolen Death Star plans to the rebels. Luke's aunt and uncle were killed and his home burned, giving him the courage to follow exiled Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi to fight alongside the rebels. Luke learned that his father had been a Jedi Knight who was killed by Darth Vader, who later killed Obi-Wan in front of Luke's eyes. Luke escaped from the Death Star with Leia and the secret plans, and flew a starfighter in the attack on the space station. It was Luke who, against all odds, fired the proton torpedo that blew up the station, saving the rebel base from destruction.

Some of the rebels Luke passed in the hallways acknowledged him in appreciation, which Luke still hadn't grown accustomed to. He didn't feel like a hero, or a commander, or even a Jedi. He saw himself as nothing but a young man who had seen and done big things, even though he had friends to encourage him. Leia strongly believed in Luke and was willing to do anything for him. C-3PO and R2-D2, the droids who had carried the Death Star plans, were extremely loyal to Luke.

Han Solo and Chewbacca, on the other hand, weren't as supportive. Luke knew that Chewbacca cared about Luke, but he didn't always show it, mainly because of his loyalty to Han. Even though they were friends, Han never truly believed in Luke. He regarded Obi-Wan as a crazy old wizard, and dismissed the Force as a hokey religion. He continuously maintained that Luke couldn't take care of himself, and he didn't fully believe in the rebels' plight. Despite all this, Luke knew that deep down, Han really did care, and that he would one day show it.

Luke entered the main hanger of Echo Base, where many X-Wing and Y-Wing starfighters were maintained constantly by mechanics and flight crews. The hanger was also the temporary home of Han's ship, the _Millennium Falcon_. The _Falcon_ was an old YT-1300 spice freighter that Han had heavily modified to become the fastest ship in the galaxy. Its technical abilities came at the cost of the ship's appearance. The disk-shaped grey hull was covered in scorch marks and patched holes, an oversized sensor dish was affixed to the top, and two military-grade quad-laser cannons had been installed on the top and bottom of the ship. On the inside, most of the wall plating was missing, exposing a vast network of wires and pipes. Many of the consoles and systems were secured with tape, and some weren't even compatible with each other.

Han and Chewbacca were in the middle of one of the _Falcon_'s constant repairs. Han stood atop one of the two forward mandibles, tinkering with the ship's systems with a variety of tools. Chewbacca, a brown-furred, 2.25-meter-tall Wookiee, sat in the cockpit, situated against the starboard side of the ship. Han called to Chewbacca, "Well, something has to be wrong! Did you check the propulsion systems?"

Chewbacca let out a series of angry roars, to which Han responded, "Okay! I'm sorry! I was just checking. Are there any leaks in the coolant tank? Check it! Whoa, wait! I didn't mean right now! I need you to stay in there and start the ship when I'm finished!"

Luke walked up to the _Falcon_ and asked, "Do you need any help?"

Han looked down and replied, "No thanks, kid. This is some heavy-duty stuff."

"Well, you know, I did work with a lot of machines back home."

"I'm sure you did. Chewie! Try to map out the power grid. Find out if there's anything that's getting either too much or not enough." Chewbacca howled, to which Han replied, "Figure it out! I'm going to replace some wires."

Luke suggested, "Maybe there's a problem with a hyperspace function. I know the inertial dampeners tend to suck up power."

"Look, kid, this requires professionals. Why don't you go bother the princess?" Han looked down into the mandible and surveyed his work. "Besides, I think I found the problem. Now, where is that wrench?" Han began looking around for the tool he was looking for.

Luke shook his head and sighed before turning and walking away. He stopped, however, when he stepped on something. It was the wrench Han needed. Luke picked it up and was about to call out to him, but he decided to make the situation an exercise. He could try to use the Force to telekinetically lift the wrench onto the ship. Luke hadn't been able to learn much from Obi-Wan in the short time he had known him, but he was practicing what he did know.

Luke held the wrench on the palm of his hand and closed his eyes. It was important that he empty his mind of all other thoughts so that he could concentrate on moving the tool. After much effort, and a bit of straining, Luke felt the wrench leave his hand and gradually float higher. Pretty soon, Luke sensed that he had cleared the top of the ship. Now all he had to do was move it over and set it down…

"Okay, Chewie! Try it now!"

On Han's command, the ship's engines fired up, causing Luke to lose his concentration and drop the wrench. Immediately afterward, a horrible grinding sound emanated from the mandible, accompanied by billowing smoke and a shower of sparks. Han jumped backwards and screamed, "Turn it off! Turn it off!" Panicking, Chewbacca roared as he began throwing switches. When the engines stopped, Han reached into the mandible and pulled out the wrench, which had become blackened and twisted. Luke realized that he must have accidently dropped the wrench into a set of gears or a turbine, causing even more damage. Han declared, "On second thought, we might be here awhile."

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Princess Leia Organa was infuriated. "What is his problem? Does he have any idea what's happening around him?"

Luke answered, "Don't let him get to you. You know he doesn't mean it."

Luke had been friends with Leia since he had rescued her from the Death Star. As the former senator of Alderaan and daughter of one of the Alliance's founders, Leia was an influential figure in the organization and strongly devoted to the rebels' cause. She was tough and beautiful at the same time, and she wasn't afraid to get her hands dirty. She spent much of her time in the Echo Base command center, which was where Luke had been speaking to her. The command center was composed of several computer stations against the walls and in the middle of the room. A large display screen protruded from the top of each station so that, even though each station was manned by a controller, the rebel commanders could monitor the entire base with ease.

Leia continued, "I realize that, but he could at least be a little more understanding given the circumstances." She began to walk around, checking the computer screens as she spoke. "Just because we destroyed the Death Star doesn't make things any better. In fact, things are becoming worse. The Empire is going to even greater lengths trying to find us, and they're building their army. I'm not sure how long we can hold out here. Sooner or later, they're going to find us, and when they do, I hope Han helps us." Leia leaned against the wall and sighed in frustration.

Luke rested his hands on her shoulders and said soothingly, "I think you're stressing yourself out too much. You need to relax and trust everyone else."

"I do trust…"

"No, you don't," interrupted Luke. "If you really trusted everyone, you would let them do their own jobs and look after their own charges. You're trying to be everywhere at once so you can make sure for yourself that everything's being done right."

As much as Leia wanted to object, she nodded and said, "You're right, Luke. I'm just so worried."

"Well, if there's anything I can do for you, please, let me know. Anything at all."

Leia hesitated before confessing, "Actually, Luke, I'm not so much worried about Han or the Empire as I am about you. The entire Empire is hunting for you since…" she looked around to make sure no one was listening before adding in a whisper, "…since you destroyed the Death Star."

"You don't have to whisper it," said Luke. "These are officers who have been with us for a long time. They probably already know, and they're not going to tell anyone."

Leia shook her head. "You can never be too careful these days. The Empire is sending spies to enlist in our ranks and feed them our intel. Right now, you're Imperial Enemy Number One. If they find out about you, or even your identity, Vader will be coming after you. If there's one thing you can do for me, it's to please, _please_ be careful. I can't imagine losing you." The two friends hugged each other – just as the door opened and Han stepped in.

Luke and Leia quickly let go of each other as Han laughed. "Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt."

"You're not interrupting anything," responded Luke defensively. "I was just promising Leia that I would be careful."

"Careful with what? Your magic tricks?" Han placed his hands on his hips and glared angrily at Luke. "Yeah, I know about that."

"It was an accident!" pleaded Luke.

"Aw, like hell, it was. Look if you didn't want me to leave all you had to do was say so. You didn't have to try to blow up the ship. Also, you owe me a new wrench."

Leia stepped in front of Luke and said, "Leave him alone, Han. He's already got enough trouble on his hands. You know, I'd feel much better if you actually helped us."

Han laughed. "Good luck with that, sister. I'm not here to stay. I've gotta pay back Jabba the Hutt before he sends his goons after me."

"Oh, of course," replied Leia sarcastically. "Because you only care about your heartless self, and you don't care what happens to us."

Suddenly offended, Han yelled, "Whoa, whoa, whoa! 'Heartless?' '_Heartless_,' you say? Well, let me tell you a story…"

"No!" exclaimed Luke. "I know where you're going and I don't want to hear it."

"Oh, do you? How do you know? Your mind powers?" Han accented the last two words by touching his index fingers to his forehead.

Luke pointed at Han threateningly and said sternly, "First of all, they're not 'mind powers.' And secondly, no, I just guessed because I've heard it before. You were going to tell the story of how you used to work for the Empire, and then decided to disobey orders and free the Wookiee slaves."

"Yeah, that story," confirmed Han. "You think a heartless guy would do that? Chewie sure doesn't think so. Why do you think he's stuck around with me for all these years? He owes me a life-debt for rescuing him and his friends. Also, you wanna know why I've stayed here this long? It's because I knew someone had to look after you kid, since you can't look after yourself." Han playfully ruffled Luke's hair. "Now call me heartless and see how that sounds."

Leia groaned. "Just get out of here and fix your ship!"

Han bowed sarcastically and said, "As you wish, Your Worshipfullness!" before turning on his heel and marching back to the hanger.

Leia called after him, "Don't call me that!"

Luke held up a hand to calm her and said, "Don't worry about him. He really does care, and one day soon, he'll show it."

Leia sighed. "I hope so, Luke. I really hope so."

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If you have any comments or questions, please leave them in your reviews and/or private messages!


	3. Ashla's Mission

**Chapter 3 – Ashla's Mission**

Mos Eisley was one of the busiest – and dodgiest – spaceports on Tatooine. It served as a haven for some of the galaxy's most dangerous fugitives. Even the aliens who ran the various shops and cantinas were manipulative vagabonds. One would do well to avoid Mos Eisley if at all possible. And yet, Ashla Fett was now at the mercy of one of these crooks, trying to barter for her own ship.

Ashla's personal starship was an old recreational vehicle from a bygone age. Its rounded semi-cylindrical shape was set atop four small wings that jutted out in a wide "X" position. Behind the rear wings were two mid-sized engine units that had been installed to add propulsion. Hidden beneath the front wings were four laser cannons used for self-defense. On the top of the ship, a dual blaster turret could extend from the roof and provide cover fire from almost any angle. The inside of the ship was relatively simple with a two-seat cockpit, a bed, a refresher, a kitchenette, and various closets and drawers for storage. Not that Ashla had very many personal belongings. The ship's sole purpose was to trick enemies into believing it was a harmless mobile home instead of a dangerous bounty-hunting vessel.

The mechanic was a squat Toydarian with a trunk-like nose and two wings that flapped furiously, allowing him to hover at eye level with Ashla. "Let-a me-a tell-a you-a, theese ees a very fine-a sheep-a," he said in a high-pitched voice. "I've-a never seen anything-a so-a… valuable-luking-a. It's-a worth a lot of money, eh? Of-a course-a, eet-a was-a not easy to-a feex-a, no, and-a not at all-a cheap-a."

Ashla pointed at the mechanic's face threateningly and said sternly, "For the last time, we only asked you to fix the stabilizer. No one told you to fix anything else."

"Really-a?" The Toydarian pointed at his datapad. "Because according-a to-a theese, a full-a repair-a was ordered-a."

"You added that yourself just to try and steal some extra money!"

The mechanic appeared shocked. "Steal-a? _Steal_-a? How-a dare-a you accuse-a me of-a stealing-a! I'm an honest-a Toy-a-darian-a! I-a woold-a never-a lie-a to my-a customers-a! My-a prices are-a fairer than-a you're-a gona find anywhere else around-a here-a. So-a take eet, or-a leave eet-a." Despite himself, the mechanic began to laugh at his own cunning. "Yeh-heh-heh-heh-heh heh heh heh. Ashla stopped his laughing instantly by quickly drawing one of her blaster pistols. The Toydarian wailed and covered his eyes with his hands. "Hey-a! No-a blasters-a!"

Ashla growled, "I suggest you give me the price I asked for, otherwise this could be your last transaction."

"You-a wooldn't-a dare-a! What about-a the authorities-a?"

"Oh, I'm sure they wouldn't mind. After all, everyone would be happy if there was one less scammer on the streets, tricking them out of their money." She cocked the pistol, inciting another high-pitched wail from the mechanic.

"O-kay-a! O-kay-a! I'll-a geeve-a you a deese-a-count! You only have-a to-a pay-a for-a thee-a stabilizers-a."

Ashla holstered her pistol and said, "That's better." She handed him the money and added, "I think that you should consider being more truthful in the future. I would hate for anything to happen to you." As she boarded her ship, she heard the mechanic chuckle meekly. She sat down in the cockpit, activated the ship's systems, and flew away from Mos Eisley.

* * *

Ashla landed her ship at the edge of a plateau overlooking Mos Eisley. As per their agreement, Boba Fett was there waiting for her in front of _Slave I_. Next to him sat a pile of crates. Ashla exited the ship and walked up to Boba. She did not greet him in the usual fashion, however. She instead folded her arms and asked, "Did you order a full repair on the ship?"

"Of course I did. I took one look at that mechanic and knew he could be easily tricked. I take it you got him to lower the price?"

Ashla laughed. "He agreed to let me pay only the price of the stabilizers. Have you been in this business so long that you can tell who can be haggled just by looking at them?"

"I'm a professional. My reputation speaks for itself, but someone's got to uphold it. Besides, I knew you of all people could successfully haggle."

Ashla smiled. "You flatter me. Anyway, I assume those supplies are for me?" She nodded toward the crates.

"Yep," replied Boba, "these will last you a while. Also, I think you'll like what I found." He reached into one of the crates and pulled out a large blaster-type weapon. It had two handles and six rotating barrels. "A Z-5 repeating blaster. Outdated, but effective nonetheless. It should come in handy if you're ever in a tight spot." He handed the weapon to Ashla, who almost dropped it because of its weight. "Use it wisely; it takes a lot of ammo."

Ashla felt the blaster, bounced it up and down to test its weight, and pretended to aim it. "Thanks, Boba. This was very thoughtful of you. I'm surprised you didn't keep it for yourself."

Boba shrugged. "Well, I figured it could pass as an engagement present. Besides, I got another one for me."

Both of the bounty hunters laughed. Ashla commented, "I haven't seen you this happy in years. Maybe our luck is finally about to change."

"I hope so." Boba decided to change the subject to the mission. "Now, I suggest we split up, cover more ground. If either of us finds Solo, we'll call each other so we can take him together."

Ashla gave a mock frown. "Who put you in charge?"

"You got a better plan?"

"No, I was going to suggest that. But why couldn't I have said it instead?"

"Because I've got a higher tally than you. Once you surpass me, _then_ you can make the decisions."

"All right, I'll make you a deal. If I find Solo before you do, I get a bigger cut of the reward."

Boba laughed. "It's on, then."

With their banter finished, Ashla and Boba worked together to load the crates onto Ashla's ship. Once they were finished, they exchanged a quick embrace and a few farewell words. "I'll catch up with you later," said Ashla as she began to walk toward her ship.

Boba stopped at _Slave I_'s boarding hatch and said, "Oh, you will," before entering the ship.

A moment later, _Slave I_ took off, followed by Ashla's ship. But while Boba left Tatooine's atmosphere and jumped into hyperspace, Ashla circled around and landed in Mos Eisley. She knew that the spaceport was the type of place where Han Solo would hang out frequently. She decided to ask around and see if any of the other pilots knew where he was. And she knew just where to look. She had once been told, "If you want to find the low-lives, you start at the saloon."

Chalmun's was an old cantina sitting in the center of Mos Eisley. Like most of the other buildings, it was a box-like sand structure with a dome on the roof. A few steps led down into the cantina, which was dimly lit by several lamps on the walls. The center of the cantina was occupied by a metallic U-shaped bar extending from the side wall. The other three walls had recessed booths built into them to allow private conversations. Next to the bar was a bandstand, where a quartet of Bith musicians played upbeat jazz music on their instruments. The rest of the cantina was filled with tables and chairs. And as always, dozens of aliens of a wide variety of species occupied almost every space, laughing and drinking to their hearts' content. Wuher, the grizzled barman, stood behind the bar, preparing drinks and food for the patrons.

Ashla decided to start with him. She approached the bar and sat down at an empty seat. Wuher walked up to her, waiting for her to order. He was a middle-aged man with furrowed, tan skin, disheveled black hair, and short whiskers where a beard was beginning to grow. His overall appearance suggested that he was grouchy much of the time. He wouldn't be easy to talk to. Ashla dropped a coin onto the table and said, "I'll take a cup of Jawa Juice."

Without taking his eyes off of Ashla, he scooped up the coin in his hand and went to prepare the drink. Meanwhile, in the seat next to her, a drunken squid-like Quarren was swaying dangerously back and forth as he gulped down a bottle of alcohol. Seeing an opportunity, Ashla lightly kicked his stool, causing the Quarren to lose his balance and fall against the man sitting next to him. In response, the man punched the drunkard, who stumbled to his feet and began to run toward the exit. His orientation, however, was slightly off, and he tripped and fell on top of a woman seated at one of the tables. The man seated next to her got up and grabbed the Quarren by the collar, hollering, "That's my girlfriend, you sleemo!" He then proceeded to pummel the Quarren's face with punch after punch until Wuher jogged out from behind the bar, grabbed the fighters, and threw them out the door. The girlfriend ran after them.

Wuher returned to the bar and finished Ashla's drink. By now, his frown had turned into a sneer. He handed the glass to Ashla, who politely thanked him. "You must have it tough with guys like that coming here every day."

Wuher shook his head and growled. "You have no idea. Ever since I took over this place, it's been like hell. Thankfully, I know how to handle guys like those."

"Do you ever get in trouble with the authorities?" Ashla asked casually.

Wuher nodded and replied, "Aye. Last year, I got arrested by the Empire. This smuggler came and shot some Rodian bounty hunter. You ever smelled fried Rodian before? The place stank the whole rest of the day, even after I had to get rid of the body. Later that day, some Imperial troops came and arrested me. Apparently, the old man and the kid he was talking to were rebels, and since I didn't report him after the shooting, the troops accused me of aiding a rebel sympathizer! Ha! Like Solo and that Wookiee of his would conspire with the Rebellion!"

Ashla smiled inwardly. She now had her first real clue to finding Han Solo. If he had last been seen conspiring with rebels, then it was possible that he could be found with the rebels. Except now, it was a matter of finding the rebel base, the location of which was unknown even to the Empire. But, if anyone could find it, Ashla could. She finished her drink and got up to leave. "Thanks again for the drink."

Wuher barely heard her. He was muttering to himself as he began mixing another drink. "Lucky I convinced them that I was innocent. They let me go after three days. Three days! That's three days of business lost! It just goes to show, never get associated with Solo. He's like a parasite that brings trouble everywhere he goes!"

* * *

Ashla's ship hovered in space over Tatooine while its pilot considered her options. If Han Solo was with the Rebellion, he was likely at the rebel base. Ashla would have to find the base in order to capture Solo. After juggling her thoughts in her head, she decided to focus on her tactics for finding Solo when she had infiltrated the base. The answer was simple; explore the base until she found him. But she would have to be very discreet, or else she would be caught by rebels. Unless they thought she was one of them.

Perhaps a disguise? No, they would probably be checking to make sure she was actually a rebel. The only way to get past the checks would be to join the Rebellion, which was one method she wanted to avoid. Still, she wondered how she could theoretically join the rebels. She couldn't expect rebels to be parading around the galaxy enlisting new members. The Empire would destroy them instantly. So, if the rebels couldn't go to the volunteers, then the volunteers would go to the rebels. But that circled back to Ashla's main problem; where could she find the rebels?

There had to be some kind of enlistment system for ordinary people who wanted to join the Rebellion. Perhaps there was a more well-known secondary base whose sole purpose was recruitment. If Ashla found one of these bases, she might find another clue leading to Solo. She decided that that was her best option. She booted up her computer and began a HoloNet search. Luckily, she found something relevant to the terms "Rebel Base." Until recently, the rebels had used a Massassi temple on the fourth moon of Yavin as their base. Following the attack on the Imperial Death Star, however, it was deserted.

But Ashla had a feeling that there were some rebels still in the temple, using it to recuit new members. She decided that she would go to Yavin 4 and see for herself. Not wasting any time, she plugged in the coordinates and activated her ship's hyperdrive. The stars visible outside the forward viewport turned into streaks of light as the ship reached light speed. Soon, it was in hyperspace, bound for the Yavin System.

* * *

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	4. The Rebel Infiltration

**Chapter 4 – The Rebel Infiltration**

* * *

After a few hours, the nav-computer on her ship alerted Ashla Fett that she had reached the Yavin System. She pulled a lever and the ship dropped out of hyperspace. The first thing she saw was the planet Yavin Prime looming before her. Yavin Prime was a bright red gas giant, about 200,000 kilometers in diameter, with hurricane force winds and intense pressure making it impossible to explore. The planet had 26 moons, three of which were inhabitable. The innermost of the three was the fourth moon, which was comprised mostly of jungles and rainforests.

Five thousand years prior, Yavin 4 had been under the control of the ancient Sith Lord Naga Sadow, who ruled an army of Sith warriors known as the Massassi. Under his Empire, the Massassi built numerous temples to honor the dark lord. After nearly a millennium, the Sith Empire was driven off of the moon and the temples were deserted. One of the stone ziggurats, known as the Great Temple, had been recently inhabited by the Alliance to Restore the Republic. The temple was abandoned after the Imperial Death Star was destroyed in its attempt to annihilate the moon.

As Ashla flew closer, she could see the temple clearly. However, she couldn't tell if it was occupied or not. Just in case it was, she decided to land a kilometer away from the temple to avoid detection. There was a small clearing in the trees that was big enough to accommodate her ship. After she landed, she gathered up several tools and other supplies she might need on her expedition. Once she believed that she had everything she needed, she exited the ship and began to hike in the direction of the temple.

* * *

Ashla reached the edge of the jungle and peeked through the trees. She was right at the main entrance to the Massassi temple. What made her happy, however, was that there were two men standing in front of the large stone doors. They wore matching camouflage jumpsuits and helmets and carried blaster rifles. Just as Ashla had hoped, the Rebellion still had a presence inside the temple. She was certain that if she went in, she would find out where Han Solo was.

The only problem was getting past the guards and into the temple. Ashla could easily overpower them, but that would alert the rebels to her presence. But if she lured the guards away from the door, it would take too long to get the doors open, even with her code-breaking machines. She would have to wait for the doors to open by themselves in order to enter. She figured that the doors would have to open when the guards rotated, so that would be her best chance. Now, how would she distract the guards? Perhaps she could sneak up to the temple and then throw something against the wall. That would get their attention. She found a large rock on the ground and tested its weight. It was perfect for throwing.

Ashla circled around the base until she was no longer in the sight of the guards. Then she clambered up one of the diagonal struts until she was on the roof of the first layer of the ziggurat. She then crept along the roof toward the entrance, careful not to make any noise. When she was right above the guards, she sat and waited. After several minutes, she heard the heavy doors slide open. She looked down and saw two new guards begin to switch places with the old ones. Not wasting any time, she lifted her rock and threw it against the nearest strut. Responding to the sound of the impact, all four guards hurried away from the doors, brandishing their blasters. While they were investigating, Ashla lightly landed on the ground and ran through the open doors. As soon as she was through, she backed against the wall and listened to make sure no one had seen her enter. Satisfied that she had made it undetected, she snuck further into the rebel base.

The interior of the temple was comprised mostly of stone hallways lined with doorways leading to other halls and rooms. The base was mostly deserted, so Ashla didn't have to worry about being caught. If she did hear someone coming, she could always duck into a room until the person passed. She noticed that most of the rebels were teenagers or young adults. They had no military experience, they wore no armor, and many of their weapons were outdated. She couldn't imagine why the Rebellion would use such inexperienced and ill-equipped kids to fight the Empire.

Ashla arrived in a large, open area that appeared to have been converted into a hanger. Large stacks of crates were scattered throughout, and less than twenty X-Wing and Y-Wing starfighters were being serviced by a handful of technicians and mechanics, all in-training, of course. It seemed that the entire base was connected to this hanger; the commander center, barracks, mess hall, and infirmary all appeared to lead from some of the doorways around the hanger. Ashla began to wonder where she was most likely to find the information she was looking for. She highly doubted that any of the trainees would know about Han Solo, or even the location of the main rebel base. She decided to go to the command center, where she would find people who were higher up the chain of command.

Ashla didn't want to go through the hanger for fear of being caught, so she went back into the hallways and navigated her way around, using her best directional estimates to guide her. She got lost a few times, but she eventually managed to find her way. When she arrived at the command center, she was surprised by how empty it was. Not only were there very few rebels, but there was almost no equipment. There were five or six computers used for different purposes, a few holographic communications devices, and four officers to operate everything. Ashla supposed that most of the more advanced staff was at the main base, but, judging by what she had seen so far, the Rebellion appeared to be nothing next to the Empire.

Against the back wall were sealed doors leading to what Ashla assumed to be personal offices. Several young rebels were lined up outside of the office situated at the corner. Judging by their personal conversations, it sounded like they were waiting to meet with the base's commander, who would be arriving soon. Ashla realized that the commander would surely know where the main base was, or at least where to find Solo. She reached into her backpack and pulled out a small, spherical device. It was a little smaller than a human eye, made of a soft but strong polymer, and covered in microscopic fibers that allowed it to stick to fabric. It was a listening device. If Ashla could get it onto the rebel commander, she could use her comlink to listen to sounds around him, including secret conversations about the rebels' plans.

A moment later, Ashla heard heavy footsteps approaching from the hallway. She backed against the wall of the room she was hiding in and didn't step out until the coast was clear. When she stuck her head out through the doorway, she saw a large man with military-cut brown hair and a white jacket. Since she hadn't seen anyone else with white jackets in the base, Ashla figured that he was the commander. Quickly, she threw the listening device, which stuck to the jacket right underneath the collar. As the commander exited the hallway, the recruits fell silent and stood at attention. The commander ordered in a deep voice, "At ease. Thank you all for coming. Unon, I will see you first. Come." The commander went into the office, followed by a young man. The office door slid shut behind them.

Ashla crept back into the deserted room and pulled her comlink off of her belt. She typed in the listening device's frequency and held the comlink to her ear. A few seconds later, she was able to hear voices. She stood back against the wall and listened.

First, she heard the commander's voice. "So, Unon, why do you wish to join the Rebel Alliance?"

The young man called Unon replied, "A few years back, some stormtroopers occupied my homeworld. They were patrolling the streets, searching our homes, and interrogating everyone. Then they began to attack and arrest people they believed were conspiring against the Empire. My father was one of the prisoners taken off-planet."

There was a brief silence, and then the commander asked, "You say this happened a few years ago. Why did you decide to join now?"

"I had thought about joining the Rebellion, but I didn't think there was any chance that they would succeed. When I heard about the Death Star being destroyed, I realized that there was hope."

"Be that as it may, your story is one we have heard hundreds of times. Unfortunately, your reasoning is not sufficient enough to earn a place in our ranks."

Unon stammered a bit, "But this is what I want, more than anything. I want to fight!"

"For the Alliance? Or the Empire? We have had many recruits over the past year, some of whom turned out to be Imperial spies trying to gather information."

Unon began to panic. "I'm not a spy! I swear! Please don't hurt me!"

The commander's voice began to soften a bit. "Calm down, son. We're not accusing you of anything yet. We just want to make sure you're telling the truth. For now, you will stay here on Yavin, carrying out assignments as ordered. If you prove your loyalty to us and your opposition to the Empire, then we will talk again. Is that clear?"

For the next several seconds, everything was silent except for Unon's heavy breathing. Finally, the boy replied, "Yes, sir. Thank you, sir."

Ashla scoffed silently. No wonder the Rebellion was so small and weak; their commanders are paranoid that everyone is a spy, and they're scaring everyone away. Ashla then heard the sound of a chair scraping, presumably as Unon stood up and left. A minute later, the chair scraped again, suggesting that a new recruit had arrived.

The commander said, "Dotoo, I would like to thank you for the information you brought back from your mission to Christophsis. You have been a big help to us."

A woman's voice replied, "Thank you, sir. It's an honor to serve the Rebel Alliance."

"Yes, you have proven your loyalty. Now, we're sending you to the third planet of the Hoth System."

"Hoth?" repeated Dotoo. "Why would the Empire have any presence there? It's a wasteland."

"The Empire does not have a presence there; we do. You will join several other recruits at our main base on Hoth, where you will be officially inducted into the Rebellion."

Dotoo failed to hide her delight. "Oh! Thank you so much! I'm truly grateful, sir."

The commander chuckled. "Just don't mention it to anyone else on the base. We're still suspicious that there are Imperial spies among us."

"I understand, sir. I won't tell anyone."

"Good. Report to the main hanger at 0800 tomorrow. A transport will be waiting to take you and the other inductees to Hoth."

Ashla decided that she had heard enough. The main rebel base was on Hoth, and it was possible that Han Solo would be there, too. She snuck back through the base to the exit. After distracting the guards once again, she hurried back to her ship. She now had a lead to Solo's location. All she had to do was wait for that transport to leave in the morning. She would follow it to the rebel base, and then she could call Boba Fett when she found Solo. And if anyone got in the way, she would take care of them.

* * *

Luke Skywalker was lying in his bed in Echo Base. After a long day of reconnaissance, he was thoroughly exhausted. All he wanted to do now was sleep. As he closed his eyes and slipped out of consciousness, a sudden feeling of alarm awoke him. He looked around, expecting to find an intruder. But there was no one else in the room. All Luke saw was the squat, domed astromech droid R2-D2 in the corner on standby mode. Also, there were no alarms blaring, so the base wasn't being attacked. So, what had Luke felt?

Was it possible that the Force had spoken to him? Was it trying to warn him of a future event? If so, was Luke in danger, or was there something else going on. The feeling didn't feel necessarily bad, but neither was it entirely good. Did that mean that something was coming that was both good and bad at the same time? How was that possible?

Whatever it was, Luke could feel that his life was about to be changed, for better or for worse.

* * *

On the _Executor_, Darth Vader sat in his meditation sphere. He felt a disturbance in the Force. A new threat was rising. He couldn't tell what – or who – it was, but there was something familiar about it. He could also feel that the Force was very strong with it. Could it be a Jedi? No, the Jedi were extinct. Vader himself had made sure of that. But what if it was a new Jedi? Perhaps the Force-sensitive rebel pilot from the Battle of Yavin was growing stronger. If so, Vader knew that this person had to be caught.

* * *

If you have any comments and/or questions, please leave them in your reviews or private messages!


	5. A New Target

**Chapter 5 – A New Target**

* * *

At precisely 0800 the following morning, a shell-shaped rebel transport ship lifted off of the Massassi temple on Yavin 4. It was carrying supplies and recruits to be sent to Echo Base on Hoth. The ship's pilots didn't realize, however, that they were being followed by Ashla Fett. With the sophisticated cloaking device, Ashla could be flying directly in front of the transport and no one would be able to see her, nor detect her on their scanners. Her ship was also equipped with an intelligent nav-computer that could receive hyperspace coordinates from an enemy ship, allowing Ashla to follow them no matter where they run. Once she received the coordinates from the rebel transport, Ashla plugged them into the nav-computer and jumped into hyperspace en route to the Hoth System.

A little while later, both ships dropped back into real-space above the snow-white planet of Hoth. With her ship still cloaked, Ashla followed the transport as it descended into the atmosphere. Moderate winds rocked the ship slightly, but Ashla fought to remain in control. Thankfully, there was very little snowfall, so she could see where the transport landed. It was next to a massive ice ridge covered in snow. The only visible man-made features were four large, vertical disks made of metal. Ashla speculated that they were components of an energy shield or power generator. The rebel base must have been inside the ridge. To confirm her suspicions, dozens of rebels clad in white, insulated jumpsuits and tan jackets emerged from the transport, each one carrying a crate of supplies. Some of them also carried bags filled with their personal belongings, signifying that they were new recruits. The procession of rebels disappeared into the side of the ridge. As her ship circled the area, Ashla saw a pair of large doors sliding open, revealing a hanger. She supposed that that was her best way in.

Satisfied that she had a good plan, Ashla turned her ship and flew away from the base. There was a cliff base about a kilometer away, which she figured would be a good place to land. The cliff wall offered protection from one side, and shade during most of the day. The ship would be hard to see, and the rebels' scanners wouldn't be able to detect it. Ashla set the ship down on the snow and shut off the engines. She went into the living area and began to gather up any supplies she might need. She also donned a long, hooded parka to protect herself from the cold, and a face scarf and goggles to protect her from the snow. Once she was ready, she deactivated all of the ship's power systems and opened the hatch. A blast of cold air and snow hit her as she stepped out of the ship. She stood still for a minute, getting accustomed to the climate. Then she sealed the ship and began her long trek through the snow.

* * *

By the time Ashla arrived at the rebel base, the sun had set, the snowfall was thicker, and the wind was much more powerful. Ashla's legs were starting to ache from walking through the deep snow, her face was itchy from the goggles and scarf covering her face, and she was exhausted from trying to breathe through her heavy gear. Yet, she couldn't take any of her gear off or risk freezing to death.

If the rebels were trying to prevent people from accidently discovering their base, then they were doing a good job. The inhospitality of Hoth was enough to discourage anyone from venturing through anywhere on the planet, including the Empire. Ashla wouldn't have been out there at all if she wasn't determined to find Han Solo. He wasn't easy to find, and he would be even harder to capture. If she succeeded, Jabba the Hutt had better pay her well.

Ashla circled the ridge, looking for the hanger doors. Eventually, she did find them, but they were closed and locked, probably until morning. She could have searched for another entrance, but she felt that she was less likely to be seen if she entered through the hanger. She decided to find a place where she could put up a portable shelter in which she could sleep for the night. She was exhausted from the journey, and she would need her strength if she was to find Solo. Yes, sleep was her best option.

Ashla walked along the ridge, looking for an appropriate place to set up the shelter. She found an inset in the wall a little over a hundred meters from the hanger doors. She figured she could fit a tent in it, and it wouldn't be easily noticed if any rebel scouts came across it. So Ashla set her backpack on the ground and pulled out a folded-up tent. In less than five minutes, the shelter was ready. She ducked into the tent, sealing the entrance behind her, took off her facial gear, and crawled into her sleeping bag. She was sound asleep within minutes.

* * *

The next morning, Ashla awoke to find that the wind and snow had stopped and the sun was shining. She took it as a good omen that things were about to pay off for her. She folded up the tent and stuffed it into her backpack before heading back towards the hanger doors. Sure enough, the doors were wide open. Ashla peeked past one of the doors and surveyed the hanger's interior. It was very similar to the hanger on Yavin 4. The sides of the hanger were lined with X-Wing and Y-Wing starfighters, piles of crates, and a handful of rebel technicians in insulated jumpsuits and jackets working on the vehicles. In the back corner of the hanger was another ship, one that Ashla instantly recognized as the _Millennium Falcon_, the infamous cargo vessel piloted by the smuggler Han Solo.

Ashla was thrilled to see the _Falcon_. If the ship was there, then so was its captain. But, knowing Solo, Ashla suspected some kind of a trick. She wouldn't be convinced until she saw him herself. She had to get into the hanger somehow. Looking around, she figured that it was deserted enough for her not to be noticed if she was careful. Once she was sure that no one was looking, she crept around the door and somersaulted into a recessed alcove. She peered out to check and make sure no one had seen her. No one appeared to have noticed her. She edged along the wall, occasionally hiding behind a starfighter and checking her surroundings.

At one point, Ashla emerged from behind an X-Wing to find a rebel standing with his back to her, sealing a blast hole on the top starboard wing using a fusion cutter. She quickly ducked behind the starfighter and hoped the rebel hadn't seen her. When she heard the sound of the fusion cutter being deactivated, she knew that he had heard something. Quickly, Ashla rolled underneath the X-Wings port wings just as the rebel looked over his shoulder at the spot where she had been standing. Figuring he had just been hearing things, the rebel returned to his work, and Ashla crept past him. Eventually, she reached the back corner adjacent to the _Falcon_ unseen by any rebels.

Ashla crept along the back wall, darting past a closed door. She hid behind a stack of crates and observed the _Falcon_. At first, it appeared deserted, but then a man walked down the extended boarding ramp. He was tall with brown hair and he wore a dark blue jacket, brown pants, and a quick-draw holster with a DC-44 blaster attached to it. It was Han Solo himself! Inwardly, Ashla cheered. She had found her target! Now, it was a matter of capturing him. She figured she could take him herself, but not without alerting the entire base to her presence. Besides, she had promised Boba Fett that she would call him when she found Solo. It was too dangerous to try and contact him from inside the base; she would have to return to her ship. Not wanting to repeat the painful trek through the snow, Ashla decided to stick around and gather as much information as she could.

Solo stood underneath the _Falcon_'s starboard mandible and began inspecting the wiring. Ashla noticed him frowning, implying that something was wrong. Solo called up to the cockpit, "Chewie, try the headlights!" The two headlights at the tips of the mandibles lit up, and then flickered out. Solo groaned. "Figures. Nothing's working. Chewie! Get down here! Bring a fusion cutter!"

So the _Falcon_ was damaged. That meant that Solo couldn't leave Hoth for a long time. If Ashla hurried, she could contact Boba and he would meet up with her the following day. And then they could capture Solo together. Even if they were discovered by the rebels, the county hunters' combined strength would be enough to fight them all.

Ashla's attention was drawn to an X-Wing starfighter flying into the hanger and then landing in an empty space. Once the ship had powered down, three rebel technicians ran up to the fighter and began inspecting and refueling it. A white-and-blue astromech droid rose from the astromech socket and was lowered onto the floor by an overhead magnetic crane. The cockpit canopy opened and a pilot in an orange flight suit and white helmet climbed out. He took off his helmet and placed it in the cockpit. Ashla couldn't see his face because he was standing on the other side the fighter's long nose.

Finally, the pilot ducked underneath the nose and began to walk toward the _Falcon_. He was a young man with tousled blond hair and a determined expression. Ashla was surprised to find that he looked familiar. She couldn't remember where she had seen him, or even if she had seen him. The pilot walked up to Solo and said, "Hi, Han. How are the repairs going?"

Solo turned to the pilot and held out a hand, motioning him to stop. "Don't get too close, kid. This is a very delicate ship. I can't risk you damaging it. Besides, I just finished fixing your sabotage."

The pilot stressed, "For the last time, it was an accident! I didn't mean for that to happen. I was trying to help you."

"Do what?" asked Solo. At that moment, Chewbacca the Wookiee arrived with a toolbox. Solo grabbed a fusion cutter out of the box and began working on the mandible's underside. "Keep me here to fight for your little cause? Or practice your witchcraft on me?"

"It's not witchcraft!" exclaimed the pilot defensively. "It's called the Force!"

Ashla found this interesting. This boy could use the Force? Did that mean that he was a Jedi? No, he was much too young. Still, the Jedi went extinct years ago. If this boy had Jedi powers, he would fetch a handsome price from the Empire. Ashla made a mental note of speaking to Boba about capturing him, too. She then returned her focus to the conversation at hand.

Solo laughed. "Whatever you call it, you should stop before you hurt yourself, or even worse, me! Trust me, Luke. That old wizard friend of yours went crazy because of it, and you don't want to end up like him."

The pilot seethed. "Don't you dare talk about Ben that way! Obi-Wan Kenobi was a greater man than you'll ever know. He was a Jedi, just like my father."

Something sparked in Ashla's brain. Obi-Wan Kenobi? She knew that name. It was the name of a mentor and friend from a former life that she refused to acknowledge.

Solo chuckled. "And I suppose you want to become a Jedi too? I bet that must sound good to you." Solo stood up straight and held his right hand out and to the left, moving it right with each word he spoke. "Luke Skywalker, Jedi Knight."

Ashla's eyes widened in shock at the mention of the name "Skywalker." Her head became flooded with memories that she had for years worked to suppress. She saw people whom she had once known, places that she had been to, things that she had done, and trials that she had faced. She tried her best to put these memories back where they belonged, but they wouldn't budge. They were tormenting her with the pain and sadness that accompanied them.

Ashla wanted to leave the rebel base as soon as possible. She had to call Boba. Only he could console her. As she turned around, she found herself face-to-face with a Gran, an alien with peach-colored, rough skin, a wide mouth, and shining, black eyes at the end of three eyestalks. The Gran was pointing a blaster at her. Before Ashla could react, the Gran fired, and the entire world went dark.

* * *

Ashla Fett awoke on a cold mattress, in a small room with walls made of frozen snow and ice. It was a prison cell. Ashla tried to remember what had happened. She had been watching and listening to a conversation between Han Solo and a rebel named Luke Skywalker. Then there was that Gran who shot her with a stun bolt. Ashla silently cursed herself for not being more aware of her surroundings. And now, she had been captured by the rebels. There was no doubt that Solo knew about her as well, and he was probably working on his ship like crazy so he could escape from Hoth before Boba Fett came looking for her. Ashla's mission had been a failure.

But now she had a new target; Luke Skywalker. Ashla had once known a Jedi Knight named Anakin Skywalker. He had been a close friend, and had been there for Ashla during some of her greatest trials. He was brave, clever, determined, and strong. It then occurred to Ashla that his face had been similar to Luke's. No wonder he had looked familiar! Luke had also mentioned that his father had been a Jedi. Was Anakin Luke's father? If so, it made sense. And then there was the fact that he had known a Jedi named Obi-Wan Kenobi. Everything seemed to fit. No matter how one interpreted these facts, it was clear that the Empire would have great interest in Luke. And if Ashla couldn't capture Han Solo, she could capture Luke and still get paid handsomely.

But Anakin had been her friend. If she turned Luke in, wouldn't that mean betraying Anakin? Just because Ashla was a bounty hunter didn't mean she didn't have morality. Could she let Luke go, and throw away a potential reward? Could she abandon the chance of marrying Boba and starting a family, like she had wanted? Maybe she didn't have to capture Luke. Maybe she could get Boba to do it for her. But it would still be her fault, since she told Boba about him.

Ashla figured that she could observe Luke and then decide on what to do with him. However, how could she observe him if she was trapped in this cell? She would just have to wait. If she couldn't go to Luke, then Luke would eventually come to her.

* * *

If you have any comments and/or questions, please leave them in your reviews or private messages.


	6. First Encounters

**Chapter 6 – First Encounters**

* * *

Ashla Fett had been locked in the detention cell for at least a day. She still couldn't get over the fact that she had been so close to completing her mission. She had Han Solo stuck on Hoth, and she could have called Boba Fett by then if she hadn't let herself get captured. In the bounty hunting business, one of the worst mistakes one could make was losing one's prey from right under one's nose. Of course, if that Luke Skywalker was really was who Ashla suspected, he would fetch a handsome price from the Empire. She couldn't be sure, however, until she met him face-to-face.

The following morning, someone came to Ashla's cell. She had been expecting the guards who brought her food and drink, so she was surprised when a Gran walked in. More specifically, it was the Gran who had captured her. Now that she looked at him properly, Ashla noticed that he was very thin and tall for his species, he wore a standard Alliance-issued uniform decorated with several medals, and the complexion of his face suggested an approximate age of forty.

The cell door slid shut behind the Gran and he stood with his hands behind his back, suggesting a regal or extravagant air about him. Ashla counted the number of medals on his uniform and deduced that he was a commander. "So," he began in a nasally voice, "you are the Imperial spy who infiltrated Echo Base."

"I am _not_ an Imperial spy," stated Ashla. "I am a bounty hunter. My name is Ashla Fett. Boba Fett is my partner."

"Were you hired by Darth Vader? Or one of the Moffs?"

Ashla shook her head in disgust. As if anyone would want to work for those Imperial _sleemos_. She didn't relay this thought to the Gran, however. She had a feeling that expressing discontent toward the rebels' enemies would only sound like a lie. "I was hired by Jabba the Hutt to track down Han Solo. Jabba has been waiting for Solo to reimburse him for dumping a spice…"

"We know all about Solo," interrupted the Gran. "He's a petty smuggler who's only allowed to stay because he did two good deeds for the Alliance. But I know what his game is; he's gleaning information to try to sell to his gangster employers, or perhaps to the Empire itself. Then they will come and destroy us, and Solo will be rewarded with all the wealth and power for which his filthy heart lusts. Many times I have voiced my concern to the rest of the Alliance leaders, but they refute me time and time again."

Ashla was interested. From what she had heard from him, the Gran seemed to be pompous, dignified, analytical, and antipathetic. She had seen his type before. He was a being who acted only to fulfill his own interests, disregarding the people around him. Perhaps she could use him to capture Solo or even Skywalker. He would be hard to win over, but the promise of what he wanted most would eventually sway him. "In that case, it seems that we have something in common, Commander…"

"Dain," the Gran finished. "My name is Don Dain. I have served in the Rebel Alliance since its inception. I was awarded these medals for intelligence and bravery. I detest unnecessary fighting, preferring to accomplish my ends by means of a systematic and discrete approach. It is my ultimate goal to see the Empire's downfall and aid in the formation of a new Galactic Republic, stronger and less corrupt than the previous."

Ashla suppressed a grin. His response to her prompt confirmed her suspicions. Dain appeared to be extremely devoted to the rebels' cause, and he was praised for being well-learned in military and diplomatic customs. But Ashla could tell that he didn't care as much about the Rebellion as he did himself. He had his own reasons for joining the Rebellion, and they didn't include restoring freedom to thousands of star systems throughout the galaxy. She could persuade him to help her in her mission if she used the correct words.

"I am well aware of the corruption of the Old Republic," Ashla stated. "That's why I decided to become a bounty hunter. Unfortunately, since the Empire took control of everything, the demand for people of my specialty has been in decline. Jobs are hard to come by these days, and the ones who are hiring the most often work for the Empire. And very few of us would dare to take those jobs. That's why it's so important that we capture Solo. If we take him to Jabba, he won't be able to cause any more trouble for anyone."

If Dain had eyebrows, Ashla was sure he would have raised one. "What exactly do you propose to do about it? If you think that I am just going to release you…"

"That won't even be necessary," said Ashla. "If you simply provided me with a means of communication, I could contact Boba and he could capture Solo. No one would ever have to know that you were involved."

Dain laughed. "And I am supposed to believe that after your friend turns Solo over to the Hutt, Boba won't reveal the location of the rebel base? Or that Solo won't spill his guts to Jabba in exchange for exoneration?"

"I know Boba well. He wouldn't give information to anyone unless they specifically came to him offering a reward for it. Otherwise, they would suspect him of treachery and end his career. And even if Solo does tell Jabba everything he knows, Jabba would still want monetary compensation and punish Solo anyway. He doesn't have any dealings with the Empire because of the illegality of his business. Also, he doesn't employ anyone affiliated with the Empire for fear that he would lose his best customers to fear or arrest. And, as for me, I do not get involved with the Empire either. I am actually wanted by the Empire for associating with its enemies. If I gave information to the Empire, I would be arrested or even executed. I can guarantee that your Rebellion's secrets are safe."

Dain paused for a moment and looked as though he was considering Ashla's proposition. Perhaps she had succeeded. Perhaps he would help her after all. But, to her disappointment, he answered, "As generous as your offer sounds, I have learned long ago not to trust bounty hunters. I'm afraid I will have to pass." Ashla was disappointed, perhaps even angry. She had been so close to completing her mission, and she had failed again. Dain began to pace, deep in thought. After another moment, he pointed out, "You said that you were wanted for associating with its enemies. Who are these enemies?"

For the first time in years, Ashla had been caught off-guard by a question. She wasn't sure whether or not she should answer. She wanted to cooperate under interrogation, but could she trust that Dain wouldn't come to the wrong conclusion if she told him? And if he told the other rebel leaders, would they come to the wrong conclusion as well? She decided that cooperation was her best chance for freedom, so she gave her answer. "Jedi."

Dain's eyes narrowed and his mouth formed what would have been a sneer on a human's face. "Jedi. Of course. Those devils were nothing but trouble. I knew that they would bring the Republic's downfall, and they received their just punishment." Ashla pursed her lips to prevent herself from yelling in outrage to Dain's accusations. "Everyone in the Alliance believes that the Jedi were saviors, and that they were framed for the Emperor's crimes. But I know better. I know the true ambitions of the Jedi. Their peace-loving nonsense was a cloak to hide their inner darkness."

As much as Ashla wanted to deny everything Dain had just said, she was more focused on the new side of him that she had just discovered. He was holding resentment toward the Jedi. For any number of unknown reasons, he hated the Jedi. Ashla wondered if she could use this new development to convince him to help her capture Luke Skywalker. "So, I take it you don't like Luke Skywalker?" Dain froze in mid-step, not even turning to face Ashla. She continued, "I heard him and Solo talking, and they mentioned something about Skywalker being a Jedi."

Dain whirled around to confront Ashla, and he yelled, "That is none of your business! What happens between me and that Skywalker is none of your concern!"

Ashla began, "But if there's no one to train him, how can he be a threat? Do you not like that he said that his father was…"

Dain interrupted her once more. "You dare to question me? On a matter of my own personal feelings? This interrogation is over!" As he walked toward the cell door, he added, "And I don't want to hear you say any more about the Jedi, or Skywalker, or his father!" With those final words, he left the cell fuming. Leaving Ashla puzzled.

Why did Dain become so angry at the mention of Luke's name? What did Luke do to him? Then, it occurred to her; maybe it wasn't Luke's name that set him off; maybe it was Anakin's. Did Dain know Anakin? If so, Ashla was almost positive that Luke was Anakin's son. Now she had to decide whether or not she should capture the boy and betray her old friend.

* * *

"Are you sure about this, Luke?" asked Leia Organa. "You realize that she was spying on you."

"I know," replied Luke Skywalker. "But I just have this feeling that I should talk to Ashla Fett."

Luke and Leia were walking through the icy hallways of Echo Base. Ever since Ashla Fett had been captured, the rebel base was teeming with worry. The rebels were afraid that she had been sent by the Empire, and that they now knew where the base was. If so, then they were all in danger. It was Leia's responsibility to help calm the rebels and restore order to the base. Leia was especially worried that Ashla had overheard Luke talking about being a Jedi. He was still Imperial Enemy Number One, and if Ashla told the Empire about him, the rebels could be expecting a visit from Darth Vader and the Imperial Army.

Leia continued, "I strongly disagree, Luke. If she knows about you, then I think it would be best that you stay away from her until we figure out what to do."

"She's not going to hurt me. I don't care what Commander Dain says. I don't trust him at all."

"Luke, don't say that. Don Dain has been one of our strongest leaders for years. I realize that he won't tell anyone about his past, and I know that he treats you coldly, but that's the way people are sometimes. You just have to learn to live with them."

Luke wanted to argue further, but he knew that there was no use. Leia trusted Dain, even though Luke did not. Ever since Luke joined the Rebellion, Dain had been doing his best to make Luke feel unwelcome. He frowned whenever they passed each other, he refuted Luke's input at command meetings, and he claimed that Luke had destroyed the Death Star solely out of luck. He never hesitated to point out that Luke was about to have been destroyed by Darth Vader if Han Solo hadn't damaged Vader's TIE fighter. And, on that note, Dain had more than once petitioned to have Han banished from the Alliance.

Luke changed the subject of his conversation with Leia. "Ashla didn't come here looking for me. She came for Han. She was sent by Jabba the Hutt, not the Empire. I just happened to be here also."

Leia asked, "If she's not here for you, then why do you want to talk to her?"

"I told you, I just have a feeling that it's something I have to do."

Before Leia could respond, a laugh prompted them to turn around. Han Solo was standing in the middle of the hallway. "Let me guess; your Force told you so?"

"Well, maybe," answered Luke. "It's not the first time the Force has talked to me."

"Yeah, well, don't listen to it. I think it's pretty obvious that it's trying to get you killed. Because that's what usually happens when people get involved with Ashla Fett. She's the worst of the worst. She holds one of the highest bounty hunting records. She's smart, skilled, devious, and dangerous." Han put his arm around Luke and said, "Take my advice, kid; stay away from her. She's a bad girl."

Luke shrugged Han's arm away and replied, "I don't care. I want to talk to her, no matter what she's done."

Han chuckled and shook his head. "Your funeral."

Leia growled. "Don't you have a ship to fix?"

Han placed his hands on his hips and replied, "As a matter of fact, I do. I need to get out of here before Boba Fett comes. Wherever one Fett is, the other's never far behind." With that, Han strode back toward the hanger.

Once Han was gone, Leia turned to Luke and said, "Alright. If you really want to talk to Ashla, then I'll arrange a meeting."

Luke smiled. "Thank you. Don't worry, if anything happens, the guards will take care of it. Besides, I'll bring my weapons." He began to walk away, glad that he would have this chance. Still, thinking back on what Han and Dain had said, he wondered if it was such a good idea.

* * *

The day after her encounter with Don Dain, Ashla Fett was visited by Luke Skywalker. He had come to her, just as she had predicted. She felt a certain chill in her spine, not just because of the cold, but because the moment of truth had arrived. She was about to find out if Luke really was Anakin Skywalker's son. As she surveyed his appearance, Ashla was surprised by how much Luke resembled Anakin. The tousled hair, blue eyes, and even facial expressions were almost identical. "I take it you're Luke Skywalker?" asked Ashla.

Luke nodded. He wasn't smiling, but neither was he frowning. He appeared to be nervous about something. Was it meeting Ashla Fett, a renowned and feared bounty hunter? Or was there something else going on that Ashla didn't know about. He looked over his shoulder to make sure that the two rebel guards were still standing outside of the cell. The white door slid shut, and Luke and Ashla were alone.

Luke knew that the Force had told him to meet with Ashla, but he didn't have any idea why, or even what to say. He started with the simplest question he could think of. "Who are you?" Inwardly, he ridiculed himself for asking that question. He already knew who she was.

Ashla answered anyway. "I'm Ashla Fett, a bounty hunter. Boba Fett is my partner. We were hired by Jabba the Hutt to track down and capture Han Solo."

"How did you track him here?" asked Luke.

Ashla began to recount her tale. "Well, I asked around Mos Eisley and found out he was with the Rebellion. I went to your previous base on Yavin 4 and overheard a recruiter mention this base here on Hoth. So I came here, expecting to find Solo. And I did. I was about to call Boba and tell him to come and help me capture Solo, but…" Ashla trailed off, wondering how to word what happened next. She wanted to find out if Luke was Anakin's son, but she didn't want to give away too much information.

Luke finished for her. "You saw my conversation with him. What did you hear?"

Ashla cleared her throat. "I, uh, I heard Solo say he was mad because you did something to his ship, then you mentioned you could use the Force, and then you talked about a Jedi named Obi-Wan Kenobi and you mentioned that your father was a Jedi. Then I heard Solo mention your name. That's when Commander Dain captured me."

Luke appeared shocked that Ashla had heard so much. He didn't know what to say. As he pondered his next move, he put his hands in his pants pockets. As he did, his jacket shifted slightly. Ashla then noticed something clipped to his belt. It was a grey cylinder, approximately 30 centimeters long, with eight vertical black bars around the base and a rectangular plate protruding from one side near the top. "What is that?" she asked.

Quickly realizing his mistake, Luke pulled his jacket closed and answered, "Nothing."

Suddenly, Ashla lunged at Luke and grabbed the object from his belt. He tried to stop her but she was too fast. Holding the object in her hand, Ashla recognized it as a lightsaber, a weapon commonly used by the Jedi. But it wasn't just any lightsaber; it was Anakin's lightsaber. Ashla pressed the rectangular plate and a blue blade of plasma energy sprang up with a _snap-hiss_. The blade hummed as Ashla pointed it at the bewildered Luke. "Where did you get this?"

Sternly, Luke commanded, "Give that back. It was given to me by an old friend. It belonged to…"

"Your father?" guessed Ashla. "Anakin Skywalker? He was a Jedi too, wasn't he?"

Luke's mouth hung open in surprise. "How do you know that? Did you know my father?"

Ashla decided not to answer any more personal questions. She had already told Luke too much. All that mattered now was that she had confirmed his identity and knew that he was a Jedi. Now she could call in Boba so they could capture Luke, and possibly Han, together. They could turn Han over to Jabba the Hutt and Luke over to the Empire. They would receive a double bounty, which would be more than enough to build their new life off of. And now that she had Anakin's lightsaber, Ashla had the tool – and the plan – that she needed for her escape. "If you want this back, you will have to let me go."

Luke shook his head. "First, you will answer my questions. Who are you, and how did you know my father?"

"That's no concern of yours. Let me go, or I _will_ hurt you." Even though she meant that last part to be true, Ashla was bluffing. She didn't want to hurt Luke. It would almost be the same as hurting Anakin. And she still wasn't entirely sure if she wanted to capture him. Her instincts told her to do so, but her brain told her that she would be betraying Anakin.

Luke knew that there was no point in trying to change Ashla's mind, so he decided to fight back. He drew his blaster and began firing shots at her. To his surprise however, she twirled Anakin's lightsaber so that it intercepted the path of each bolt. The shots were deflected into the walls, ceiling, and floor, launching bits of snow and ice into the air. In response to hearing the shots being fired, the two rebel guards opened the cell door and prepared to join Luke in firing at Ashla. But she was too quick, and in one stroke, she sheared through the barrels of their blasters. Then, she slashed back and forth across the ceiling, causing snow and ice to rain down on them. While the rebels were distracted, Ashla bolted past them, through the cell door, and into the hallway.

Four more guards rounded a corner and fired their own blasters at Ashla. She flipped the lightsaber in her hand so that she was holding it upside-down and proceeded to deflect the rebels' shots as she ran down the hall. One of the guards activated his comlink and said, "The prisoner is escaping. Set the base on high alert!"

* * *

If you have any comments and/or questions, please leave them in your reviews or private messages.


	7. The Great Escape

**Chapter 7 – The Great Escape**

* * *

As Ashla Fett charged down the hallways of Echo Base, alarms blared and lights flashed, alerting the entire base to the prisoner's escape. Many times, rebels would appear from a room or another hallway, firing their blasters at Ashla. But no one could hurt her. She had Anakin Skywalker's lightsaber to defend herself with. It wasn't a blaster, but at least she could use it to deflect blasterfire. She wisely decided not to kill any of her attackers, knowing that that would create more tension between her and the Rebellion.

Ashla had a plan of escape, but it wasn't quite working the way she had hoped. Because she had been unconscious when the rebels took her to her cell, she had no idea how to get back to the hanger through which she had entered. She was running without knowing which way she was going. She also knew that it would only be a matter of time before the rebels boxed her in and recaptured her – if they allowed her to live.

Ashla ran through an open door, rounded a corner, and slid to a halt. At the other end of the hallway she had just entered were four rebels, one of whom was operating a large blaster turret. Although slower than a standard blaster, this turret was powerful enough to punch holes in ships with light armor. It was so powerful, in fact, that Ashla wouldn't be able to deflect the bolts with her lightsaber. She could have gotten past the turret, but she didn't believe that she had enough time. She decided to go back into the previous hallway and find another way to the hanger. But just as she turned around, the door slid shut and was locked, trapping Ashla in the hallway with the cannon.

The rebels began firing at her, and Ashla backed against the closed door. Blaster bolts flew past her and Ashla used her lightsaber to deflect as many of them as she could. The turret tore chunks of ice out of the walls, slowly exposing Ashla. Thinking quickly, she stuck her lightsaber into the door and began to carve a hole big enough for her to crawl through. As she was cutting, she had to simultaneously dodge the blasterfire coming from the rebels. After a while, she completed her circular hole and crawled back into the previous hallway.

Eventually, Ashla finally found her way to the main hanger. Luckily, the hanger doors were still open. There was a tauntaun stable near the doors. Tauntauns were grey-furred, tusked, bipedal riding beasts that smelled terrible. They had adapted to Hoth's climate, and were well-suited for speedy transportation. That was why the rebels used them. If Ashla could get on one of those creatures, she could ride it back to her ship, and the rebels wouldn't be fast enough to catch her.

Just as she was about to make a run for the stable, Ashla had to duck in response to a blaster bolt that would have hit her in the head. Han Solo was standing next to the _Millennium Falcon_, firing his blaster pistol. Ashla twirled her lightsaber to deflect the blaster bolts. One deflected bolt hit a series of wires on the _Falcon_, causing it to erupt into sparks. "Hey!" yelled Han. "I just fixed that!" He began to fire his blaster at a more rapid pace, and Ashla was hard-pressed to block his shots.

Suddenly, Ashla was hit from behind. The blow was so powerful that it knocked the lightsaber out of her hand and sent it bouncing underneath an X-Wing starighter. Before she could retrieve her weapon, Ashla felt something grab her by the waist and lift her off the ground. It was Chewbacca! He must have been the one who punched Ashla. Reacting quickly, she swung her legs forward and let them fall backward, kicking the Wookiee in the thighs. In response to the pain, Chewbacca howled and dropped Ashla, who was ready to engage her enemies in hand-to-hand combat.

Han couldn't shoot at Ashla for fear of accidently hitting Chewbacca, so he holstered his pistol and charged at her, rearing up for a punch. Ashla ducked just as Han swung his arm, and then punched him twice in the chest. While he was momentarily stunned, Ashla kicked him in the face, knocking him to the ground. Ashla then turned to Chewbacca and began to punch him repeatedly in the stomach. But Wookiees were tougher than humans, and her attacks had little effect. Chewbacca grabbed her right arm in mid-swing and twisted, hoping to sprain her arm. But Ashla knew how to counter this classic move; she flipped sideways in the direction of Chewbacca's twist.

By this time, Han had recovered from Ashla's kick and was back on his feet. In the middle of Ashla's flip, Han carefully aimed and punched her in the back. The combined momentum of the flip and the blow caused Ashla to fall to the ground. Slightly dazed, Ashla noticed that Han was about to stomp on her chest, so she rolled sideways. Han tried to stomp again, so Ashla rolled sideways once more, but, this time, she swept her legs against Han's, knocking him down. Chewbacca stood behind Han, ready to attack once more. Ashla jumped to her feet and thought quickly. Taking a running start, she stepped on Han's chest, knocking the wind out of him. At the same time, she planted her other foot against Chewbacca's stomach and used her momentum to flip backwards, extending her left foot in mid-flip to kick Chewbacca in the chin, causing his head to snap backward. Once she landed, Ashla performed a spinning-jump-kick that hit Chewbacca's stomach with enough force to send him flying. Ashla landed on Han's chest, knocking the wind out of him once more.

With both of her enemies subdued, Ashla made a break for the tauntaun stable just as several rebel guards rushed into the hanger. She heard one of the rebels yell, "Close the blast doors! Hurry!" The giant hanger doors slowly began to converge. If Ashla wasn't quick enough, she would be trapped. She hopped onto one tauntaun's back and kicked it in the side. The creature bleated and ran out of the stable. Ashla steered the tauntaun toward the doors, which were already halfway closed. Blasterfire erupted around her, prompting Ashla to steer in small zigzags so that the shots were less likely to hit her. She was almost at the hanger doors, but they were almost shut. Ashla was afraid that she wouldn't make it. Miraculously, her tauntaun made it through at the very last possible second. The doors shut with Ashla safely outside the base. Savoring her victory, she prodded the tauntaun forward, running toward her ship at maximum speed.

* * *

Back inside Echo Base, Luke Skywalker ran into the hanger and took in the scene before him. Han and Chewbacca were struggling to their feet. Some exposed wires on the _Millennium Falcon _had caught fire after being hit by deflected blaster bolts. Han winced, groaned, and coughed as he grabbed his broken nose, which was spouting blood. Chewbacca clutched his stomach, moaning the whole while. The closed hanger doors were peppered with scorch marks where stray blaster bolts had hit them. A few of the rebels were attempting to calm the other tauntauns, which were panicking because of the blasterfire. Some other rebels were struggling to unlock the hanger doors so that they could be opened again.

Luke then noticed his father's lightsaber lying underneath a nearby X-Wing. As he went to retrieve the weapon, Luke's mind began to whir with questions. How did Ashla know how to handle a lightsaber so well? She must have had a lot of experience to have been able to hold it with a reverse grip. And then she had single-handedly defeated both Han and Chewbacca at the same time. Not very many bounty hunters could accomplish such a feat.

What Luke found the most surprising, however, was that she had known his father, or at least who he was. But how? How did she know him? Luke wanted to find out. He _had_ to find out. If Ashla knew anything that could help Luke to piece his past together, he was willing to take any risks.

"Artoo!" Luke called. R2-D2 rolled up to Luke and chirped a greeting. Luke instructed, "Artoo, get my fighter ready as fast as you can." R2-D2 beeped an affirmative and rolled up to Luke's X-Wing.

Princess Leia Organa walked up to Luke and asked, "Where are you going?"

Luke answered, "I'm going after her."

Leia shook her head, "There's no point in trying to catch her now. We might as well let her go."

"I don't want to catch her," negated Luke. "I want to talk to her."

Han, still clutching his nose with a blood-stained rag, came and asked, "Seriously, you want to go through that whole thing again?"

Luke fought the urge to laugh. Han spoke with a nasally voice as a result of the injury to his nose. Luke answered, "Yes. Don't you think it's weird that she knew how to use a lightsaber? Or that she could fight you and Chewie like that? I bet there's something else going on, and I want to know what it is."

"You wanna know what's going on?" repeated Han. "I think it's obvious; she's insane! She's a crazy bounty hunter! She's a walking disaster magnet! You might as well commit suicide if you're planning on going after her."

"Han!" scolded Leia. "Why don't you go to the infirmary and get your big, sarcastic nose fixed!"

Han let out what Luke assumed was supposed to be a laugh. "That one's actually kinda funny. You should use it on other people more often."

"Just go!" ordered Leia.

"As you wish, Your Worshipfulness!" Before Leia could offer a retort, Han spun on his heel and marched away.

Leia turned back to Luke and said, "As for you, I'm begging you to reconsider. Ashla Fett is very dangerous. I don't want you to get hurt."

Luke smiled reassuringly. "I won't. Everything's going to be okay. Trust me."

Leia wanted to argue further, but she couldn't think of anything she could say that would change Luke's mind. He was strong-willed and determined – a combination that made him such a great asset to the Rebellion. Leia finally replied, "I do trust you."

Luke nodded. "I know." He turned around and climbed into his X-Wing. R2-D2, already in the astromech socket, beeped excitedly and started up the fighter's engines. Once the hanger doors were open, the starfighter rose off of the ground and flew out of the hanger.

* * *

Ashla rode her tauntaun back to the cliff base where her ship was still parked. She had made it in less than half an hour. Not wasting any time, she hopped off of the tauntaun and entered the ship. She ran to the cockpit and began through switches, starting the ship's engines. As soon as Ashla was clear, she took off into the sky. Fighting the wind and snow, she exited Hoth's atmosphere and flew into space.

Safely away from the rebel base, Ashla breathed a sigh of relief. It had been a narrow and difficult escape, but she had pulled it off. Now she could think about what to do next. She now knew that Han Solo was still in Echo Base, and that the _Millennium Falcon_ was still damaged. She also knew that Luke Skywalker was indeed the son of Anakin Skywalker, and that he would fetch a handsome price from the Empire. Ashla decided to contact Boba Fett and summon him to Hoth so they could capture Luke and Han.

Ashla was about to activate the ship's transmitter when she noticed something on the scanners. An X-wing starfighter was following her. A closer inspection of the ship revealed that the pilot was none other than Luke. Ashla couldn't help but be amused. Even after their conversation in the detention cell, Luke still wanted to talk to her. It was exactly the kind of thing that Anakin would've done. Unfortunately, Ashla wasn't in the mood for talking. She was a bounty hunter, and Luke was her prey. She would take him down one way or another, but it would not be through conversation. She had to leave the Hoth System. Hopefully, she would lose Luke in hyperspace. Ashla activated the nav-computer and set the coordinates for the nearest system. As soon as the coordinates were ready, she activated the hyperdrive and jumped into hyperspace.

* * *

In his X-Wing, Luke followed Ashla's ship. He knew that she would try to flee the system, so he had instructed R2-D2 to monitor her ship and be prepared to receive her hyperspace coordinates. As soon as he had them, R2-D2 whistled and beeped, boasting his success. Luke laughed and said, "Okay, Artoo. Good job. Plug in the coordinates and get us out of here." The astromech droid did as instructed and the X-Wing jumped into hyperspace, en route to Ashla's destination.

* * *

If you have any comments and/or questions, please leave them in your reviews or private messages.


	8. Revelations

This Monday, November 18, marks the first aniversary of the day I published the final chapter of my first story, _The Clone Wars: The Final Season_! By sheer coincidence, some of the events of that chapter will be summarized later in this chapter!

Enjoy this very important chapter!

* * *

**Chapter 8 – Revelations**

* * *

Gedera was an isolated star located in the Outer Rim. A red giant, Gedera was old and cool compared to most other stars. Of the fifteen planets caught in its orbit, and the one hundred moons orbiting the planets, only one planet was inhabitable enough to allow beings to spend their entire lives on it. Gederon, as it was called, rotated slowly enough so that one half of the planet was always facing the sun. Part of that area formed what was known as the Temperate Pole, which was a tropical rainforest with a diameter of 550 kilometers. The remaining area on that half of the planet was moderately cool and grassy, while the other half was dark and snowy. The Gederonians mostly settled in and around the Temperate Pole, where the ground was rich with mineral deposits.

Ashla Fett's ship came out of hyperspace over Gederon shortly after escaping from Hoth. Now that Ashla was safe, she could contact Boba Fett so he could help her capture Han Solo and Luke Skywalker. While she was excited to be collecting such a large bounty and starting a family with Boba, she couldn't help but feel somewhat guilty about wanting to turn Luke over to the Empire. During her conversation with him, she had noted all of the similarities between him and his father, Anakin Skywalker, who had been a close friend to Ashla in her former life. Would capturing Luke be the same as betraying Anakin? Perhaps. But, she reminded herself, that was years in the past. Now, she was a bounty hunter who needed to capture people in order to survive. Once she had taken care of Luke, Ashla would never have to dwell on her past again.

The scanners on Ashla's ship picked up another ship coming out of hyperspace. It was Luke in his X-Wing starfighter – again! Ashla snarled in annoyance. Just like his father, he wouldn't give up. Well, Ashla wasn't going to face him again. It was time to get rid of him, once and for all. She pressed a button on the cockpit dashboard, and an auto-turret rose from the roof of the ship.

* * *

Through the transparisteel cockpit of his X-Wing, Luke saw the auto-turret on Ashla's ship. "Artoo, raise the shields!" From the astromech socket behind the cockpit, R2-D2 whistled and activated the fighter's deflector shields, which would protect it from any blaster bolts that happened to hit it. As the turret began firing, Luke pushed and pulled the throttle in every direction so as to avoid the blasterfire. The turret's droid brain would automatically track the X-Wing and continue to fire at it. However, it couldn't predict where the fighter would be in the future, so Luke could avoid being hit as long as he didn't stay in the same place for too long.

R2-D2 let out an electronic squeal as a blaster bolt whizzed past his domed head. The droid then beeped a question, which was relayed to Luke through a translator screen in the cockpit. Luke replied, "No, Artoo, I'm not going back. Ashla knew who my father was, she knew how to use a lightsaber, and she was skilled enough to beat both Han and Chewie. If that means what I think it means, I need to know the truth." R2-D2 chirped a comment, and Luke added, "Even if I have to shoot her down. Unlock the laser cannons and lock the S-foils in attack position." The fighter's four wings – two on each side, one on top of the other – opened to form an X, and the laser cannon on each wing began firing when Luke pushed a button on the throttle.

* * *

Ashla watched Luke's X-Wing through her rear-view camera. He was successfully dodging the blasterfire from her turret and returning fire. Not only that, he was performing evasive maneuvers that Anakin had used many times. He, too, was a fighter ace. So not only did Luke look and act like his father, but he also flew like him, too. Keeping that in mind, Ashla knew that Luke wouldn't easily be shot down, although it was possible. She needed some kind of weapon or maneuver that would take him down.

And then it hit her; missiles! Missiles were designed to lock onto strong heat sources, such as starfighter engines, and follow the sources until the missiles ran out of energy. And, luckily for Ashla, her ship was equipped with two hidden missile launchers. Luke wouldn't be able to see them coming. Ashla pressed a series of buttons and two missile launchers were lowered from underneath the rear wings. The launchers rotated to point at the X-Wing and then they each fired one projectile programmed to fly directly into the fighter's engines.

* * *

Luke was rapidly gaining on Ashla when he noticed the two missiles. He tilted his fighter so that the first missile went in between the left wings, but he inadvertently raised the bottom-right wing into the path of the second missile. The missile plowed across the surface of the wing, tearing off a large chunk. "We're hit!" Luke exclaimed. "What's the damage, Artoo?"

R2-D2 analyzed the ship's systems and reported that some of the wiring connected to the bottom-right engine had been severed. Although the wires could be reconnected, and the ship was still flyable, the engine had lost power, causing the ship to slow down. To make matters worse, the first missile had turned around and was flying straight at one of the remaining engines. Luke tried several tricks in an attempt to lose the missile, but with one of his wings damaged, he had lost some maneuverability.

In his distress over the missiles, Luke had almost forgotten about Ashla. He looked out of the cockpit and saw her attempting to escape in her ship. She must have figured that Luke's fighter had been damaged enough that it was no longer a threat. Luke shook his head. "Oh, no you don't." He angled his X-Wing to follow Ashla's ship and fired the laser cannons. A few of his shots collided with the ship's left engine, causing it to trail smoke. "Got her!" Luke yelled triumphantly.

* * *

"Blast it!" swore Ashla. Across her dashboard, alarms blared and lights flashed, indicating that the ship had suffered serious damage. Ashla cursed herself for underestimating Luke, especially since she knew that his piloting skills were the same as his father's. On the plus side, the remaining missile Ashla had fired had just hit one of the X-Wing's engines, leaving it as crippled as hers was. Now both ships were descending toward Gederon's surface.

* * *

R2-D2 squealed as the X-Wing plummeted toward the planet. "It's okay, Artoo!" said Luke. The damage isn't bad; we still have control. I think I can still land the ship." R2-D2 asked another question, to which Luke answered, "No, I'm not giving up. I need to know the truth. We're going after her."

* * *

Unbeknownst to the Rebel Alliance, the Empire had established a chain of bases throughout the galaxy to replace the recently destroyed Death Star. The space station had been designed not only to serve as a military base and superweapon, but also to intimidate the galaxy into obeying the Empire. Therefore, the Emperor had dissolved the Imperial Senate, placing power directly into the hands of the Moffs, the regional governors of the Empire. When the Death Star was destroyed, the Empire erected Imperial bases throughout the galaxy to serve as military outposts and law enforcement headquarters. Each base was headed by the Moff who governed that particular area of the galaxy.

One such base was in the Temperate Pole on Gederon. An area near the edge of the rainforest had been cleared away to make room for a complex of barracks and armories arranged in a circle around a central tower that served as a command center. The entire base rested on a foundation of concrete and was surrounded by four-meter tall poles connected by beams of energy, creating an electrified fence. Imperial AT-AT and AT-ST walkers were parked throughout the base.

In the command center at the top of the tower, Moff Arndt oversaw the grey-uniformed Imperial officers manning the control stations. He was fiercely devoted to the Empire and to destroying the Rebellion. If any of these officers picked up any sign of rebel activity, Arndt would see to it that it be quelled immediately. He turned to look out of the wide windows, allowing him to observe the entire base and the surrounding area. Near the edge of the rainforest, he saw two objects falling from the sky, both of them trailing smoke. "What is that?" he asked the officer at the scanner station.

The officer zoomed in on the two ships and announced, "One of them appears to be a modified recreational vehicle, while the other is a starfighter, X-Wing class."

"X-Wing?" repeated Arndt. "They're rebels! Send a squad out immediately! I want them alive!" In response to the Moff's command, another officer pressed a button that alerted one of the barracks of the intrusion. Within moments, twenty stormtroopers were armed and loaded onto troop transports. The gunships took off, flying toward the rebel ships' crash site.

* * *

Ashla Fett managed to steer her ship toward the edge of the Gederonian rainforest. Keeping her ship level, it slid across a grassy area. Once the ship had stopped moving, Ashla checked the damage readouts. The crash had barely hurt the ship, but Luke's shots had succeeded in piercing the left engine housing. The main exhaust pipe was broken, so excess heat was not expelled properly. Ashla would have to patch the holes before she could take off again.

But that would have to wait. Luke Skywalker's X-Wing starfighter had landed right behind her. Ashla sighed in defeat. It seemed that there would have to be a confrontation after all. Quickly, she looked around the ship for extra weapons; the rebels had taken everything she had when they captured her. Luckily, she found an extra blaster pistol in her weapons drawer. After checking to make sure the pistol was armed, she opened the ship's hatch and stepped outside to face Luke.

Luke had hopped out of the X-Wing's cockpit and was standing next to the starfighter's nose. Ashla stopped several meters in front of him and asked, "Don't you know when to give up? If you had just left me alone, we could have avoided this mess."

Luke shook his head. "I'm not leaving until I get some answers."

"Then you're wasting your time, Skywalker. No one will ever get me to talk."

"I just want to know how you knew my father."

Ashla was surprised by the vagueness of his question. "I've heard stories about him, as have many other people."

"Then how did you recognize his lightsaber?" Luke unclipped his father's lightsaber from his belt and held it up for Ashla to see.

This time, Ashla hadn't been entirely prepared for the question. Thinking quickly, she answered, "I didn't. I just assumed that it was your father's because you share the same last name. I've never seen it before."

"But you used it in your escape, almost like it was part of your body. Where did you learn to wield a lightsaber?"

"I'm a bounty hunter," answered Ashla. "I've been trained in all types of combat."

"Commander Dain said you mentioned that you were wanted for conspiring with the Jedi," Luke pointed out. "Did they teach you to use it?"

Ashla couldn't think of an answer that would suffice. Finally, she said, "That's none of your business, is it? Now, stand aside. I have a job to finish, and, this time, you will not stand in my way." Ashla raised her pistol and aimed it at Luke.

Luke ignited his lightsaber with his right hand and drew his own blaster with his left. "I know you know more than you're telling me."

Ashla smiled in amusement. "Very good, kid. I see you're using your brain correctly now."

In the astromech socket on the X-Wing, R2-D2 whimpered nervously. He could tell that there was tension between them, and it was only a matter of time before one of them fired the first shot. The question was, who would that be?

It was neither of them. A red energy bolt whizzed out from the trees and hit the side of Ashla's ship. Luke and Ashla turned to see a squad of stormtroopers emerging from the edge of the rainforest, firing their blasters. Luke and Ashla returned fire, but the troopers had the tactical advantage of using the trees as cover. The two ships offered no protection, leaving Luke and Ashla vulnerable.

Luke used his lightsaber to block as many blaster bolts as he could. In the short time Luke had known Obi-Wan Kenobi, the Jedi Master had taught him how to deflect blaster bolts. In the time since then, Luke had begun to improve, efficiently defending himself against more and more bolts. His training was now paying off. Ashla began to move behind Luke so that he was covering her while she fired at the stormtroopers. Luke didn't mind, despite their confrontation earlier. After all, they were both under attack by the same group, so they might as well help each other to defeat them.

Ashla was firing her pistol with surprising accuracy. Many of her shots hit the stromtroopers, although their armor was strong enough in most places to resist damage. And with the troopers taking cover behind the trees, they were even harder to shoot. Ashla knew that her blaster and Luke's lightsaber alone wouldn't be enough to defeat them. They needed another weapon, but Ashla didn't have anything else in her ship. And then she remembered that Boba had given her a weapon before they parted.

Ashla leaned in closer to Luke and said, "I have something in my ship that can help us, but I need you to cover me closely."

Luke nodded and said, "I can do that. Whenever you're ready."

"Okay…. Go!" Ashla began to run toward her ship while Luke jogged to keep up with her, continuing to deflect the stormtroopers shots. When they reached the boarding hatch, Ashla ran inside and dug through her crates while Luke stood in the hatchway. Finally, Ashla found what she was looking for. "Get down!" Luke ducked just as Ashla appeared in the hatchway, toting a large Z-6 rotary blaster cannon. She pointed it at the trees and yelled, "Charge!"

On her command, Luke ran alongside her as she pulled the trigger on the cannon, unleashing a deadly barrage of blaster bolts. Some of the bolts hit the stormtroopers, killing them as they peeked out from the trees; others damaged the trees themselves, causing them to fall down, thus exposing the troopers. By the time fifteen stormtroopers were dead, the remaining five retreated into the rainforest. Ashla and Luke continued to pursue them until the trees became too thick and the Z-6 cannon's ammunition had been depleted. In the end, only two troopers managed to escape.

With the danger over, Luke and Ashla lowered their weapons, panting from exhaustion. As they returned to their ships, Luke asked, "Where did you get that cannon?"

Ashla answered, "Boba gave it to me – as an engagement gift."

Luke was shocked. "Boba Fett? Engaged? As in, getting married?"

Ashla smiled. "Oh, it's not that weird. He's always been into me." Ashla decided to change the subject. "You were really good with that lightsaber. How did you learn to defend like that?"

Luke replied, "Obi-Wan Kenobi taught me."

Ashla's eyes widened. "You mean, Jedi Master Kenobi? You know him?"

Luke sighed sadly. "I _knew_ him. He was killed by Darth Vader."

Ashla was bewildered. "I… I don't believe it. He survived the Jedi Purge. When so many others didn't."

Luke suddenly came to a realization. Ashla didn't just know who Obi-Wan was; she had known him personally. She had also known Anakin Skywalker, had been affiliated with the Jedi, she knew how to use a lightsaber, and her skills were unmatched. He decided to take a stab at his theory. "You were a Jedi, weren't you?"

Ashla was silent for a moment, not sure of how to answer. She had worked for twenty years to prevent anyone from knowing her secret. And now she had been unmasked by none other than Anakin's son. Knowing of Luke's connection to him, Ashla decided it would be easier to tell him the truth. "Yes. I was a Jedi Padawan during the Clone Wars. My real name is… Ahsoka Tano."

* * *

Luke sat in Ashla's – Ahsoka Tano's – ship, listening to her as she told her story.

"When the Jedi Temple was attacked by the clone troopers," she explained, "I, like  
all of the other Jedi, tried to defend it. But we were unsuccessful. All of the other Jedi were killed, and I was severely wounded and left for dead. One clone, Captain Rex, whom I served with since the beginning of the war, decided to turn on his brothers and save me. He healed my wounds and gave me a speeder so that I could escape. There was only room for one, however, and I was forced to leave him to his death. I will never forget his sacrifice."

Ahsoka paused to dwell on the tale of her friend's death. Luke had never imagined that an Imperial stormtrooper would sacrifice himself to save a Jedi. It wasn't unbelievable, though. Some members of the Rebellion were once stormtroopers who defected to the rebels' cause. As for the deaths of the Jedi, Luke realized that it must have been traumatizing for Ahsoka to watch as every person she had been close to was killed mercilessly by the Empire.

Ahsoka continued, "After I escaped the temple, I threw away my Jedi uniform and destroyed my lightsabers so that no one would target me. I left Coruscant on a cargo vessel and went to Naboo to seek the help of one of my friends, who was a Senator. When I arrived, however, I learned that she was dead. After her funeral, I went to the lake to consider my next move. But I couldn't think of anything. Everyone I could trust was dead, and I had no money, no home, and no job. And that's when Boba happened to show up. He offered me protection, a home, a job, and, most importantly, he offered me love."

"How did you know Boba Fett?" asked Luke.

Ahsoka replied, "Months before, he had been hired be the Sith to deliver a holodisk containing secret plans. I intercepted and captured him, and I took the holodisk. At first, we didn't like each other at all, but then we began to develop feelings for each other. I brought him along on a mission to a Separatist base, where we bonded. Thanks to him, the mission was a success, and we discovered a Separatist plot to build nuclear missile launchers. When we went to destroy the launchers, however, it turned out to be a trap by the Sith, who saw Boba as a traitor. Not just to the Sith, but also to me. He admitted that at first he had only pretended to help me just so that he could get his disk back, but then he confessed that he really had fallen in love with me. We were almost killed in the trap, but we were rescued by the Jedi. After we had been healed, Boba left to protect me from the Sith, knowing that they were after him."

Luke shook his head. "Sorry, but I still can't imagine a bounty hunter like Boba Fett ever really loving anyone."

Ahsoka laughed. "He doesn't want anyone to think of him as nice or caring. He wants to uphold this reputation of being deadly and dangerous. Once you really get to know him, you see that he's actually a good man. After the Jedi Purge, he helped me into my new identity. He was there to comfort me when I was sad, and to love me when I felt alone. He taught me how to be a successful bounty hunter. That's how I became who I am today. Do you understand?"

Luke nodded, and then shook his head. "No, I don't understand. I don't understand why you act like a villain when you're really a hero."

"I don't _want_ to be a villain, but I don't want to be hero anymore, either. The Jedi are extinct. That part of my life is over. I needed to put my past behind me and start over. I admit, I think I overdid it, but as long as I never have to face my past again, I feel that it's worth it."

"Why don't you come back with me and join the Rebellion. We could use someone like you, and I could vouch for you."

Ahsoka smiled apologetically. "I'm sorry, Luke, but I don't belong with the rebels. Besides, even if I did join, I don't see how a small band of rebels can defeat the Empire. I mean, look at them. There are too few of them, they're untrained volunteers, and they don't have nearly as much firepower as the Empire."

"But some of them are Imperial deserters, and we have things that the Empire doesn't have. We have resolve, determination, courage, and heart. And we're fighting for peace and freedom for the entire galaxy."

"I understand, and I wish you luck with that, but I can't go with you." Ahsoka stood up and said, "Now let's get our ships fixed so we can get out of here. I always keep some metal plates I can use for patch jobs."

Luke stood and asked, "You're going to help me? I thought you wanted to put your past behind you."

"Well, fortunately for you, I'm in a good mood right now. A bounty hunter needs to be unpredictable so she can outsmart her enemies. Once we're off the planet, we never have to talk about this again, to anyone."

Luke nodded. "I won't tell. I'll just go back and say you were a good sport and let me go."

"You can also tell your friend Solo that I'm still coming after him, and that he has one week to get that junker of his fixed." As Ahsoka dug through her crates of supplies, looking for the metal plates, she wondered if she should have told Luke the whole truth about the attack on the Jedi Temple. Was he old enough to know? Perhaps, but he never knew his father. If she told him, he would probably be aggravated. It would be best for him to find out on his own when he was ready.

* * *

Ashla is Ahsoka? Wow! I bet you did not see that coming! Okay, just kidding.

Tune in November 23 for the next chapter, Gears of the Empire! If you have an comments and/or questions, please leave them in your reviews or private messages.


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